Archive of Our Own ^beta

"If you're betrayed, release disappointment at once. By that way, the bitterness has no time to take root." -Toba Beta

oOo

John Hammond stood alone, staring at the area that used to be the raptor pen.

The raptor pen had been completely torn down several months ago and a new enclosure had been built in its place for the park's new species, Crichton's ankylosaur. Compared to the rest of the paddocks, this one was much smaller in size, and seemed like a playpen of sorts. There was an artificial lake and new plant life placed in the new environment thanks to Ellie Sattler's expertise. The maintenance workers had also completed putting up the surrounding electrified fence.

Today was the day: Robert Muldoon, along with Gerry Harding, George Lawala, and Alan Grant, planned to place the first juvenile ankylosaur and then observe her behavior in the coming days and weeks. Should the transfer be successful, they would place a second ankylosaur, and later, a third one. If the paddock couldn't hold them, then they would create a new one in the park. Everyone would be present as anytime a dinosaur was placed in its paddock—when it was the first of its species—this was a celebratory occasion on Isla Nublar.

Hammond knew he should be thrilled: Project 16 had been an amazing success. The 16th species—which was now the 15th species since the velociraptors were no longer in existence—had been successfully genetically engineered and cloned. Hammond wanted to experience the same overwhelming excitement and achievement he always felt whenever a dinosaur was successfully recreated for Jurassic Park—but he couldn't celebrate this time. It was impossible to feel happy now that he knew the truth of everything that had happened—especially why Henry Wu wasn't standing by his side to see the new enclosure designed for Crichton's ankylosaur.

Henry Wu.

The name burned in his mind, and he thought back to that exact moment when he learned Henry Wu was no longer with InGen. At the time, he believed he was having a second stroke. Numbness spread throughout his body, dizziness overtook him, and he had difficulty walking. He had even blacked out temporarily from the severe shock of learning the truth. Despite the physical horror he felt upon learning of Wu's betrayal, it was the emotional aspect that was taking its toll on him. That's when he learned that facing the truth was much different than learning the truth…

Hammond found himself repeatedly returning to the genetics lab, looking for Wu and hoping to find him there. One night he had overheard Ian Malcolm speaking with Alan Grant about it. Hammond had been leaving the visitor center to go to the staff lodge when he heard them talking in the main lobby. Making sure to not be seen, Hammond had stayed in the hallway as he eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Do you think he'll ever accept what Henry did?"  Grant had asked.  "He's been isolating himself from everyone."

"He's experiencing Henry's betrayal like a death."  Malcolm was serious. There was no hint of humor in his tone.

"Which stage is he in? I know there's stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance."

"The stages aren't linear. There's no specific order or timeframe."

"I wish we could help him. Ellie and I have tried talking with him, but he cuts out before we can really delve into anything."

"He needs time—a lot of time to process everything. Right now, he's grappling with denial."

Hammond agreed with Malcolm—his behavior was like someone whose loved one has died and keeps calling the deceased person hoping they will pick up the phone. Of course, the deceased person wouldn't pick up and the surviving person would come to terms with the fact that their loved one was no longer alive. Sometimes it would help them to accept the loss…and other times not. Hammond was grieving and he didn't know when it would let up. He woke up with Wu's betrayal on his mind, thought about it all day, and went to sleep with it still weighing on him. He didn't want to admit to Malcolm that he was right, nor did he want to share with anyone all the jumbled emotions he felt every day. That night, he had remained by himself waiting for them to leave the lobby before exiting the visitor center himself.

He stopped going to the genetics lab. It wasn't because of what Malcolm had said, but because it was becoming more hurtful and increasingly devastating to visit the empty lab. It forced him to face what he didn't want to face: Wu was gone.

Hammond found himself constantly second-guessing everyone's warm smiles and greetings. Were they sincere or fake? He would question any information told to him—not aloud, but inwardly. Avoiding everyone helped to lessen the doubt that always crowded his mind. He had wanted to spend more time with Tim and Lex, and instead, would find times to eat his meals by himself. That wasn't always possible as the park staff would invite him to sit with them if they were in the cafeteria together. Sometimes he found it ironic that he had been discharged from the hospital because he had finally healed from the stroke's physical impact on his body, only to return to Isla Nublar to have his emotions tangled up and his heart shattered from Wu's betrayal. He was extremely grateful for Nedry's role in making things right on the island again, but it did not cancel Wu's shocking dark turn.

As he thought about it, Hammond left the newly built paddock and went to his bungalow. The entire time he walked there, he replayed the scene in his mind about when he found out everything. It had been two weeks since his return to Isla Nublar. He isolated himself in his bungalow, in his office at the visitor center, and his suite at the staff lodge. Hammond had never expected this to happen. He had been alone for so many months in the hospital (since visits from the park staff were rare and scattered) and he had greatly looked forward to being back on the island. Now that he was back, he felt more alone than before. His mind still spun from everything he had learned. All the backstabbing, the drama, the division among his own staff, the boldness of Dodgson sending his team to invade his island multiple times—and even trying to take it over so that Biosyn could own Jurassic Park outright. However, learning that Wu had betrayed him to join Dodgson was the worst blow he never imagined would happen.

Hammond entered his bungalow, which he considered his own personal respite and escape (like what Ellie's greenhouse had been for her for some time). As he glanced around the spacious bungalow, he tried to picture Arnold and Muldoon holding Nedry captive in here—it sounded laughable. Then he pictured Lewis Dodgson and George Baselton lounging around on his black leather couches, going in his fridge, holding meetings there, pretending it was their own—and this frightened and angered him.

He went to the freezer and took out his favorite dessert, ginger ice cream. Placing the ice cream on the table, he went back to the kitchen for a bowl, spoon, and ice cream scooper. He scooped ice cream into the bowl and then let it sit there as he got lost in his thoughts about when he first met Henry Wu. Wu had been young and ambitious, willing to tackle a project unlike any he ever had before. Cloning dinosaurs. He was determined to make his mark in the field of genetics. Wu was excited back then and Hammond knew he had made the right choice to hire him. Hammond had promised he would be known one day for his accomplishments.

Wu was always enthusiastic, whereas Nedry was apathetic.

On that note, Hammond allowed himself to consider the difference between both men's betrayals. Nedry's betrayal was awful, but during those months spent recovering in the Hospital CIMA, Hammond had a lot of time to think about the part he played in their interactions that led to Nedry's choices. He started to accept the fact that he had kept Nedry in the dark, that he demanded big changes at the last minute, and then refused to pay him. Hammond had backed him into a corner when he threatened lawsuits—all while claiming that Nedry was a genius in his own way. It was no wonder why Nedry was disgruntled and betrayed him when the opportunity presented itself. Hammond stirred his ice cream with the spoon as he thought about it. Nedry was furious at him and understandably so. It didn't excuse what he had done, but it helped Hammond to understand him.

His mind wandered to Wu now as he served himself more ginger ice cream. Nedry's trial and incarceration had cast InGen in a negative light, especially in the American press. Hammond needed to distract himself and found the perfect solution. He had focused on what else could be added to Jurassic Park. The idea for cloning a 16th species was born. It served as a pleasant distraction, it reminded Hammond that he still had a spectacular theme park (even if it wasn't yet open to the public), and he got to work alongside Wu, which he greatly enjoyed.

That's what made Wu's betrayal his worst nightmare: he trusted him, treasured him, and respected him. Unlike Nedry where there were ongoing conflicts about his salary and contract, Hammond didn't have these problems with Wu. Wu was easygoing and wonderful to work with. Hammond had known Nedry was unhappy working for him, whereas Wu smiled in his face—and in that way, Wu's treachery stung him deeply. He needed another distraction to help him get through—but what? Hammond racked his brains. He could hire some more employees since the park staff was very small. He could even push forward to open the park. Those were two excellent ideas, but he realized no matter what he did, there would always be an emptiness in his heart that nothing could fill. The emptiness from knowing that two of his own employees—both directly involved in the park's construction—had aligned themselves with the corporate enemy.

Wu's and Nedry's betrayal affected him far more than he first realized. Before his hospitalization, he remembered telling Malcolm about his fear that another employee would betray him. Wu turned out to be a horrific self-fulfilling prophecy. Even his recovery at the CIMA Hospital had been hampered by processing his last exchange with Nedry outside by the raptor pen. To the park staff, Hammond made a quick recovery, but that was because they didn't visit him very often. Hammond didn't know why that was—well, now he knew that part of the reason was Dodgson making it almost impossible for anyone to leave Isla Nublar once he took over. Malcolm and Lex had gotten around that though and managed to visit Hammond.

They had been excited to see him walking again, but the truth was his recovery was long, slow, and complicated by the emotions he felt towards Nedry and his betrayal—especially the argument they had just before his stroke. Drop dead, Mr. Hammond. Nedry's words reverberated in his mind during the first month of his hospitalization. For some time, Hammond wondered if Nedry had intended to harm him this severely. Amid the confusion that had wracked him in the beginning, those thoughts haunted him: he purposely did this to me—he wanted to kill me. That led to depression and anxiety clouding his mind, followed by the constant questions that he had no answers to: what was going on at Jurassic Park? What about his animals? What was everyone doing? It usually went in that order: Jurassic Park, his animals, and everyone else. It wasn't until much later that his order of priorities would be reversed: his grandchildren, the consultants and park staff, the animals, and finally, Jurassic Park.

He had struggled with the physical side effects of the stroke, specifically his left side was paralyzed. His left arm had a prickly sensation. The words were clear in his mind, but once he tried to speak, it came out garbled. The irony was Hammond found he could hear and understand everyone around him, but he had difficulty talking. Walking was out of the question as he had used a wheelchair in the beginning of his recovery. That only added to his depression at the time.

Everything changed the day Nedry came to visit him in the hospital. That same day, Hammond had been exhausted with the repetitions he had done at his physical therapy session. The physical therapist had pushed him to do more exercises to regain mobility in his left arm. All the exertion had worn him down. He had never been happier to fall asleep in his bed. He had turned over and found sleep fading away so that when he woke up, Nedry was sitting at his bedside. At first, he thought he was dreaming—or having a nightmare. Why else would Nedry come to see him? He would taunt him for the fact that he suffered a debilitating stroke that left him paralyzed on the left side. There was no reason to believe Nedry was being kind to him, especially after their last confrontation in the park.

Hammond remembered smiling awkwardly before accepting why Nedry was here. In the forefront of Hammond's mind, Nedry was there to finish what he had started. Fearful, he had fidgeted in the bed and forgot to use the call button. He had so many questions to ask and he remembered opening his mouth to talk—but no sound came out. Hammond had gripped the bed's rails and Nedry misinterpreted his body language. He thought Hammond was trying to get comfortable. Nedry fixed his pillows so that he could sit up. This had surprised Hammond, although he couldn't express his shock. From there, Nedry had a one-sided conversation with him about making things right on the island and that it was never his intention for Hammond to end up hospitalized. Hammond had listened although he had desperately wanted to respond. The quiet manner Nedry spoke left a lasting impression on Hammond, since hostility and bitter arguing had been their usual way of communicating.

Nedry's visit was the last thing he ever expected. Especially when Hammond remembered visiting him in prison. That had blown up in his face with Nedry yelling and cursing at him while being dragged out by correction officers. After all this time, Hammond finally understood why he had such a volatile reaction. He had unfairly accused Nedry of still having contact with Dodgson, although it had been almost two years into his sentence. It was a terrifying encounter as Hammond no longer recognized his former employee. Incarceration had changed Nedry—and not for the better.

After Nedry left his hospital room that day, Hammond realized two things. He had to come to terms with Nedry's betrayal—and he had to forgive him. Not only was it necessary to forgive Nedry, but Hammond had also started to see the conflict from Nedry's perspective. He felt trapped in the hospital: he couldn't communicate and was barely able to move, although he did as much therapy as possible. It made him wonder: did Nedry feel trapped? When Hammond didn't give him information about what was needed for the park, and eventually overworked him and threatened lawsuits after Nedry had signed a nondisclosure agreement… Nedry had nowhere to turn until Lewis Dodgson offered him the monetary compensation that Hammond denied him. Hammond wanted to present himself as the grandfatherly showman of Jurassic Park, but the truth was he could be a cutthroat corporate businessman who put profit above his employees" safety. And he knew it.

The other way he had realized that forgiveness was important for his well-being came from meeting the hospital chaplain, Milton Gibbons. He was a gentle middle-aged man dressed in plain clothes. Although Hammond had difficulty talking at the time, he had listened to Gibbons speak on the subject of forgiveness, after sharing with him that sometimes people were hospitalized because of the terrible choices they made on their own—and sometimes because of the poor choices of others. Drunk driving, being at the wrong place at the wrong time, an attempted suicide, drug overdose. None of those applied to Hammond, but Gibbons spoke on the power of forgiving one's self and forgiving others. When it came to forgiving others, he said something that left an impression on Hammond: Forgiveness is for you, to set you free from bitterness and anger, and gives you the capacity to love and thrive.

Forgiving Nedry and forgiving himself, while also accepting his part in their conflict, had a healing effect on Hammond. He wasn't as rigid during his physical therapy sessions. It was as though his physical flexibility worked in tandem with his emotional renewal. Over time, he came to understand another fact: even if Nedry had never visited him, he would still have to forgive him. Nursing a grudge weighed Hammond down. Anger slowed down his healing; however, in forgiving Nedry, he felt freer. Before, Hammond had been full of anger, and he wanted to make Nedry pay for what he had done by ensuring he got locked up for the rest of his natural life. That very thought had crowded his mind. Now Hammond's mind was open to the possibility of making a full recovery, and how it meant he could return to Isla Nublar one day. Since he had changed, he wondered if Nedry had changed. It made him wonder if Nedry had forgiven him since he came to see him. His new outlook improved his condition and soon he graduated from the wheelchair to the walker.

Hammond looked down at the bowl of ginger ice cream. He had barely touched it as he had forgotten it when he reminisced about Wu and Nedry. The ice cream had melted and now resembled a thick soup. Hammond ate some anyway, enjoying the unique flavor; it tasted like eggnog.

Forgiving Nedry made him wonder: could he forgive Wu? Was it possible? Hammond still didn't understand why Wu had betrayed him. At least with Nedry, he knew the motives. Wu was a total mystery though. Somehow, he had to get himself to that point of forgiving Wu—even if Wu never returned to InGen, even if he never made amends or expressed remorse for what he had done—

His thoughts were interrupted when heard the loud knocking. At first, Hammond didn't answer it as he allowed himself to ponder about Wu more. He knew he didn't want to get stuck in anger again as he had almost done with Nedry— The knocking came again, and he was about to tell whoever it was to come in, when Tim, Lex, Ellie and Gennaro walked inside. Tim and Lex rushed up to him, excited smiles beaming across their faces. Seeing their happiness was contagious and Hammond found himself smiling too, although he didn't know what it was about.

"Grandpa, why are you sitting here by yourself?" Lex asked. "They're gonna do it soon!"

Hammond looked up at Ellie and Gennaro, unsure of what Lex referred to. "Do what?"

"You're coming with us," Tim said, urging his grandfather to get to his feet. "You wouldn't miss this for anything—you shouldn't."

Hammond stood up, still not understanding until Ellie broke the news.

"They're about to place the first ankylosaur in the new paddock!" Ellie said as she hurried back to open the door, so they could leave together. She shared Tim’s and Lex’s enthusiasm.

"I couldn't find you in your office, so I thought to check here. Good thing I ran into Dr. Sattler and the kids," Gennaro said.

Tim and Lex flanked Hammond on both sides in the same manner just as when he had first returned to the island. "You're coming with us," Tim repeated. "You don't have a say in the matter."

"Lead the way." Hammond laughed as his grandchildren escorted him outside of the bungalow with Gennaro and Ellie walking behind them.

It was one of the few times since returning that his laughter was warm and genuine. Maybe witnessing the new placement would be the distraction that Hammond longed for.

oOo

A short time later, they reached the new paddock. It still amazed Hammond that this same area once held the raptor pen. He had to admit that he liked the changes. Initially, it was strange not to see the miniature fortress that had been the raptor pen. It had been a staple of the park, but now that it was gone, the area was spacious and inviting. Instead of a sense of foreboding, now a welcoming aura was present. Hammond attributed it to how one could view the inside of the paddock, as opposed to the raptor enclosure that resembled a miniature prison—including a watchtower.

Hammond looked over the grassy area, the vegetation, the water hole—this was a pleasant setting for the new dinosaur species. Being that ankylosaurs were herbivores; Ellie had worked together with Grant on designing the setting that would best be suited for them. Tim and Lex brought Hammond over to stand with Ray Arnold and Ian Malcolm. Ellie and Gennaro stayed close behind to watch the placement. A group of maintenance workers stood nearby speaking in Spanish amongst each other.

"Fun times when a new species is introduced to the park," Malcolm said.

"Good afternoon, John," Arnold said, standing away from the enclosure. "They're just about ready."

He pointed with his lit cigarette in the direction of Alan Grant, Robert Muldoon, Gerry Harding, and George Lawala. All four men had entered the enclosure through the back maintenance road with a pick-up truck prior to Hammond's arrival. The cage had been on the flat bed of the pick-up truck, and now it was situated on the grassy area of the enclosure. Inside the large cage was the very first specimen of Crichton's ankylosaur, also known as Crichtonsaurus. Hammond noticed the armored plates on the dinosaur's back and the club at the end of its tail. As he was studying the dinosaur's physical characteristics, Grant came over to them. He stood on the other side of the fence and Hammond thought it was comical to see him that way.

"Robert tranquilized her before loading her into the cage." Grant pointed at where Muldoon stood near the cage with the lethargic ankylosaur inside. "He's waiting for her to wake up, so that she's not fully out of it. George is helping him."

"He's guiding George?" Hammond asked as he watched Lawala nod in agreement to whatever Muldoon and Harding were telling him. Harding was gesturing towards the cage while Muldoon pointed at the expanse of the enclosure as he spoke. Hammond couldn't hear them, but he noticed Muldoon's shotgun slung over his shoulder which probably held tranquilizer darts.

"Robert is training him in every aspect of the park warden position. He wants George to manage those responsibilities in case he's not here."

Hammond was confident that Lawala would make a qualified park warden since he was learning from the best. At first, he had his reservations, but from his brief talks with Lawala and gathering how the rest of the park staff took to Lawala, he felt it was a great decision to have him as part of the InGen family. He also noticed that Muldoon was less stressed and not as overwhelmed as before. In the past, Hammond had considered Muldoon an alarmist, but with the velociraptors finally eliminated from the park, he was calmer. He would say "relaxed", but Muldoon was never one to let his guard down. Ironically enough, Hammond felt worried about the time it was taking time for the group to remove the ankylosaur.

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine, John. She's the first of her kind that we're placing in the park," Grant explained. "Robert took extra precautions given that he wasn't sure what to expect. I'll go help them."

Grant left the fence, and they watched as he approached Muldoon, Harding, and Lawala.

"Mr. Lawala is awesome," Tim said as he came to stand next to Hammond. "He'll know how to handle Bumpy."

"'Bumpy'?" Hammond asked as he watched Lawala and Harding assisting Muldoon. He noticed that Tim and Lex had walked closer to the fence to get a better view of the ankylosaur that was finally starting to stir from her sleep.

"That's the name I gave her. Me and Lex have been naming all the dinosaurs in the park."

"Really?" Hammond was surprised—this was news to him.

"I prefer 'Acutus'," Lex said. "That's Latin for 'sharp', but we played rock, paper, scissors. Tim got scissors and I got paper, so…"

"So, there's always next time," Tim teased as she playfully shoved him.

"At least Mr. Muldoon took my suggestion about 'Rexy'." Lex folded her arms across her chest in a prim manner.

"Oh please, Mr. Muldoon's always called the T-Rex 'Rexy'. You wanted to call her 'Roberta'. What kinda weird name is that?"

"That's better than your name for her. 'Tyrant'. That's corny, Tim."

"It makes sense—she's the tyrant lizard!"

"Now you sound like Mr. Nedry, calling them lizards." Lex giggled as though this was the funniest joke she had heard today.

Tim sighed in an exaggerated manner. "The last part 'saurus' means lizard, so he's not completely off base when he calls the dinosaurs 'lizards'."

Ellie and Arnold exchanged amused glances. Next to them, Gennaro shook his head, entertained at hearing Tim and Lex jokingly argue about whose name would be used for the new ankylosaur and then the tyrannosaur's moniker. They were aware that Tim and Lex had been working on their "Name Every Dinosaur in Jurassic Park" project for quite some time. They started a week before Hammond returned to the Isla Nublar and had a long way to go, given that there were over two hundred dinosaurs on the island. Now with the newest addition to the park, they would have to come up with more names.

"In case you two can't agree on names, I can always give suggestions," Malcolm said, intervening and coming to stand with them by the fence. "They'll have mathematical themes."

"Like what?" Lex asked, turning to Malcolm.

"Uh, let's say this ankylosaur is called 'Chaos'," Malcolm said, pointing at the ankylosaur in the cage that was slowly waking up. "If Alan and the group place a second anky, the name will be 'Theory'. Get it? 'Chaos' and 'Theory'?" He chuckled loudly.

Hammond turned to him and shook his head as though not surprised Malcolm went there.

"No way," Lex said.

"That we can both agree on," Tim said. "Not happening, Dr. Malcolm!"

"You two are no fun!" Malcolm joked and all three cracked up laughing.

"Look—there she goes!" Ellie pointed directly at the inside of the paddock where Lawala had opened the cage's entrance.

Hammond had been momentarily distracted by Tim's and Lex's playful argument with Malcolm's strange suggestion. Now he watched as the ankylosaur slowly made her way out into the field. The dinosaur was a juvenile, low to the ground, and over a meter in length. Her neck and legs were short and thick. The rear legs appeared longer than the front legs. Tiny stubs protruded from the head; they were the shape of spikes. Her head was wide and triangular. Armor plates covered the ankylosaur's entire back. The bony stubs on the plates would eventually form spikes. When she was first born in the hatchery, the club at the end of the tail had been the size of a marble. It had grown to the size of a volleyball. She was still a juvenile and had more growth before she became an adult. The ankylosaur continued to amble along, exploring her new home environment. She didn't notice her spectators on the other side of the fence—or the staff who had placed her inside her paddock. Instead, she walked slowly along, stopping to eat some greenery, before moving on.

"She's adjusting already," Arnold said.

"She really is. Looks like we picked the right foliage for her diet too," Ellie replied. "We'll have to get more, especially if we place a second ankylosaur."

"There's another one?" Gennaro asked.

"I believe so," Arnold said.

"See, the names 'Chaos' and 'Theory' work," Malcolm said.

"We're not doing that, Ian." Ellie smirked.

Tim and Lex started to clap and cheer. They stopped when the ankylosaur briefly looked in their direction as though confused by the commotion. Then she went back to moving around the area and headed for the water hole.

"Veggie-saurs are better than those meat-o-saurs," Lex said.

"You're only saying that because Bumpy won't make a meal out of you," Tim joked.

Hammond was so mesmerized by the sight of the ankylosaur that he didn't notice Muldoon, Grant, Lawala, and Harding place the empty cage back on the pick-up truck's flatbed and exit the enclosure. Nor did he hear the conversation between Ellie, Arnold, Gennaro, and Malcolm or Tim and Lex teasing each other. Instead, he heard a voice—his voice—when he first met Grant and Ellie in-person at their dig site when he enthusiastically told them about Jurassic Park: We have made living biological attractions so astounding that they'll capture the imaginations of the entire planet.

He had been so passionate, so excited, and so determined to open Jurassic Park to the world back then. All he needed was their endorsement and Malcolm's so that he could move forward with his dreams of the entire world witnessing living, breathing dinosaurs. And he had gotten their endorsement—so what was he waiting for?

The spark lit Hammond's spirit and now he knew what to do. He needed to go forward with his original plans for the park. Although he wanted to wait until he had trustworthy staff, he realized he couldn't let Wu's and Nedry's disloyalty be the reason why the world never enjoyed Jurassic Park. Watching the ankylosaur making her way around the paddock renewed his ambition. There was no reason to keep the park closed or have it enjoyed by a select few. He didn't spend all this time, effort, and money to create a magnificent and unique theme park just for it to remain closed all this time. It was time to move forward with a concrete plan to open Jurassic Park to the world…

"That went better than expected," Muldoon said. "Not bad for your first time, right George?"

"It went very well," Lawala said. "Do you always put them in when they're juveniles?"

"That's what we aim for," Harding said.

"We'll watch her for some time before adding another ankylosaur," Grant said. "For now, this paddock is large enough to hold about two ankylosaurs. She's a juvenile, so it'll be interesting to see how she does as a full-grown adult."

Hammond stood close to the fence and turned around when he heard their conversation. He had been so busy with his inner thoughts about opening the park that he didn't hear when Muldoon pulled up. Now Muldoon, Lawala, Grant, and Harding were together with everyone, watching as the ankylosaur continued to explore her new home.

"You all did a wonderful job," Hammond said. "I must say—today renewed my spirits."

Muldoon turned in his direction. Arnold also appeared curious as to what Hammond meant.

"I have some ideas…but first, I'm bringing Tim and Lex to my bungalow to discuss with them all the names they have for our park's residents."

Tim and Lex came forward to join Hammond.

"I'll see you all in a few hours for dinner. Terrific work, all of you," Hammond said as he nodded with approval. He wanted to showcase his new employee. "You're a natural, George."

Lawala smiled proudly. "Thank you, Mr. Hammond."

Everyone gathered together as Hammond headed towards his bungalow with Tim and Lex. Just when he reached the outside of the building, he turned to his grandchildren. He wanted to have this conversation in private with them. Before he considered opening the park, there was something he needed to address first: his current staff: Arnold, Muldoon, Harding, Lawala. His lawyer, Gennaro. And his consultants: Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking ever since I came back and found everything out. I'd like to know from both of you what you think I can do for the park staff—this includes Mr. Gennaro, Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Malcolm. How can I best thank them for everything they've done?"

At first, Tim and Lex glanced at each other, confused as to why their grandfather would seek out their opinions. Then Lex spoke up.

"Tim and I've talked a lot about this, Grandpa. When things were upside down here, they did everything they could for the park—and for us." She gestured at herself and her brother. "They still do."

Tim nodded, agreeing with Lex. "They treat us like family and include us in everything. They always made us feel important, like we mattered. Everyone kept us safe when Dodgson's group was causing trouble."

"How should I show my appreciation?" Hammond asked, knowing that the question sounded silly, but curious to what they would tell him.

"Give them a raise," Tim said. His expression read: isn't that obvious, Grandpa?

"And tell them you appreciate them more often," Lex said. "It doesn't mean anything if you tell us that Mr. Muldoon is doing a great job, Dr. Harding is devoted, Mr. Arnold is loyal, and so on. You need to tell them to their faces—not behind their backs. It will mean a lot more if you tell them upfront."

Hammond nodded thoughtfully as he considered their feedback. Recognizing his staff came first before anything else—including opening Jurassic Park. This was a priority. He had already lost Nedry and Wu, and he didn't want to lose anyone else. With no staff, he wouldn't be able to open the park. Based on Tim's and Lex's wise advice, he knew which direction to take.

"Thank you. I know why I built Jurassic Park…and now I know what I need to do to keep my staff."

"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.

"You will have no peace until you have discovered how to forgive yourself, to forgive other people and let them forgive you." - Dorothy Rowe

oOo

The racket started as soon as he was placed in his cell. It was like the prison version of being welcomed back. The constant banging on metal doors and shouting coming from the prisoners in the adjoining cells had just begun and he knew it wouldn't stop for hours.

Dennis Nedry thought he had remembered the awful conditions of solitary confinement, but it was like starting over again. He had gotten used to being in the outside world and had forgotten how loud it could get in the segregated unit—and how dismal it could be. The cell was the size of an elevator car and being that he had just been captured and remanded back to prison, he had very few belongings. Getting comfortable on the bed was difficult. It was like sleeping on the cold hard floor since the four-inch foam mattress barely provided any cushion. There was a thin narrow window that had frosted glass so that he still wouldn't be able to see a tree's leaves blowing in the wind or a bird flying. He thought he was in a different segregation unit, since the last one he was locked in had no windows.

He tried getting his thoughts together, but the commotion was getting louder, making it impossible for him to think. One inmate howled like a wolf, while another inmate kept kicking the window of their cell door. Someone across the hall laughed hysterically nonstop. There was an inmate sobbing, and another inmate cursing at the top of his lungs to be let out or else... Some inmates suffered from mental illness, and others fared terribly when isolated. Nedry remembered the last time he was in solitary confinement and how the inmate in the cell directly across from him had slashed his arms with a shank. The correction officers had been slow to respond as blood flowed from under the doorway… The banging, shouting, and hollering from that day when the staff finally extracted that inmate from his cell paled in comparison to what he heard now. The constant cacophony of noises was enough to drive him mad.

He clamped his hands over his ears so that he could concentrate on the questions flooding his mind. The first question was obvious because he felt overwhelmed with humiliation when he realized who was in the courtroom. What were John, Dr. Malcolm, and Robert doing at the arraignment? Who told them when I was being arraigned? Why are they here and not on the island? Were they in the courtroom the whole time? How much time am I looking at?

The last question ate away at him, causing him to feel empty inside. Nedry knew he had to come to terms with the fact that he might spend the rest of his life in prison—especially if Judge Hoskins decided he would serve his sentences consecutively—in addition to his previous sentence. How much time did that add up to? Nedry ticked off the numbers in his mind. He was certain they would make him serve the entirety of his first sentence since he escaped: ten to fifteen years. He had only served two years, so now he had thirteen years left. The other charges when added up…escape from prison, hacking into computers, the assault charges, aggravated assault, trespassing, fake ID, grand larceny…Although Ian Malcolm had done a wonderful job in advocating for him in Costa Rica to get the aggravated assault and trespassing charges dropped, he had to count them since Judge Hoskins had brought them up during his arraignment.

Self-hatred overwhelmed him now and Nedry buried his face in his hands as the harsh reality of what he might be facing became more real. What the hell did I do with my life? I threw it all away—and for what? Money? Revenge against InGen? To stick it to John Hammond? He had harmed others along the way, and in turn, he sacrificed his career, his freedom, his life…

There was no going backwards.

He couldn't undo anything he had done. Although he had helped InGen to gain back control of Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park from Biosyn, none of that mattered now. He could only move forward, although that road appeared to lead to a dead end with the possibility of life imprisonment. Judge Hoskins had made him painfully aware that a life sentence could mean a huge chunk of time—twenty years, thirty years,—even forty years. Even if he was released from prison after all that time, what kind of life would he have? Would he be able to survive in the real world after being incarcerated for so long? He tried to reason with himself that those sentences were better than life without parole—that kind of sentence would ensure he breathed his last behind the walls. Even so, a life sentence was too immense to think about.

"Stupid…so stupid," he muttered. He couldn't even hear himself because the inmate in the next cell was punching the window on his door—harder and louder every time.

It occurred to him that he could ask the warden, Daniel Walker, to allow him to re-enter gen pop—general population. That way he could keep his mind busy. He could stay active, join programs, and get a work assignment. He wasn't going to repeat the same rebellious behavior he had exhibited nearly every day the first time he was incarcerated. If he was looking at more time, then he would do anything constructive to make it work for him—wise advice Walker had told him years ago. Back then, Nedry didn't listen to Walker. He had been determined to get his revenge against Robert Muldoon and Ray Arnold, which he now knew clouded his common sense. This time, he wanted to start over. It would be extremely difficult, but he had to try.

Nedry stood up and approached the door to his cell. Looking outside the narrow rectangular window, he saw Officer Johnson walking up and down the unit—he was the same correction officer he had always given trouble. If truth be told, Nedry gave all the correction officers grief during his first run. This time's gonna be different. Knowing he had nothing to lose and everything to gain, Nedry rapped on the door window.

"Mr. Johnson?"

At first, he thought Officer Johnson didn't hear him, but then he saw him circle back around. Now he stood outside of Nedry's cell, smirking on the other side of the door.

"What do you want, Nedry?"

"Can I speak with Mr. Walker?"

Officer Johnson stared at him for some time before slowly shaking his head. "You just got back from your extended vacation and you're already making demands. You got some damn nerve, but what else is new?"

Nedry made sure to control his mouth. It would be so easy to be a sarcastic smart-ass, but that would only worsen his situation. "I'm not demanding, I'm asking to speak to Mr. Walker."

"What's the magic word?"

The inmate in the next cell had stopped punching the window of his door. That meant he was listening in on the conversation. Nedry decided not to let that deter him.

"May I please speak with Mr. Walker?"

"Using manners now? That's new for you."

"I'm serious, I'd like to speak with him."

"And I'll let him know—only if you pay me."

Only if you pay me. Five simple words that Nedry had spouted off at any correction officer he had encountered during his first stint. Any command or directive they gave him: making his bed, standing at attention for hourly count, getting searched, following the rules, and putting his hands out or behind his back to be cuffed—he delivered what became his catchphrase: only if you pay me. His noncompliant behavior had infuriated the staff back then, so he wasn't surprised that Officer Johnson was repeating those same words back to him. Part of him wanted to shout that he wasn't the same defiant inmate they had known from before, but he knew that was a waste of time. They'll think I'm bullshitting them. He was about to ask again when Officer Johnson nodded, serious this time.

"I'll let him know your request."

"Thanks."

Officer Johnson scoffed as he walked away. Nedry didn't hear him because he had his back turned as he returned to his bed. If he could talk to Walker, maybe he'd start turning his situation around…

Hours later, he heard knocking coming from outside his cell. At first, Nedry thought it was the inmate in the next cell messing with him, but when he raised himself from his bed, he recognized the warden on the other side of the cell. Nedry was startled—he had forgotten that the warden, Daniel Walker, resembled Robert Muldoon. As he made his way to the door, he hoped Walker would give him a chance. That's all he needed.

"Hi Mr. Walker…" He paused, wanting to make sure he didn't sound like he was sucking up—Walker would know it and he would be a prime target for the inmates.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Nedry. It's been some time, hasn't it?"

"It has. I was just wondering if I can re-enter gen pop. Being here…" He didn't want to mention how some inmates cut themselves, while other inmates clogged up the toilets, leading to flooding in the unit. He had seen it happen before during his first stint. At the time, he didn't care and had focused on exercising and getting in better shape. Now he wanted out of this unit, and he had a gut feeling that he would stay there for a long time. "I was hoping to get a work assignment."

Walker's hesitation made Nedry uncomfortable. Finally, he responded.

"The classification staff is still reviewing your file. Once they finish, they will determine where you'll be housed and if you'll be permitted to have a work assignment."

The word if made Nedry do a double take. That meant there was a possibility of him not getting a work assignment. He needed to find out what was behind that. "I thought everyone gets a work assignment."

"What was it last time?"

"Washing dishes in the chow hall."

A wry smile flashed across Walker's face. "If I recall, you refused to continue your work assignment after several months."

Oh…he was the reason why he might not get a work assignment. Nedry hung his head, feeling ashamed. "The pay was crap…nineteen cents an hour…" His voice trailed off and he avoided looking at Walker through the door's narrow rectangular window. "It'll be different this time. I'll take whatever's available—even the chow hall."

Walker considered his request and how he sounded sincere. Nedry wanted to return to gen pop and have a work assignment—but last time, he had shown uncooperative behavior. That was on a good day. On a bad day—which had been the norm for him—Nedry was defiant. Getting into fights with the inmates and arguing with the correction officers had resulted in him spending half his time in solitary confinement. Walker even remembered the time Nedry spat in his face after correction officers broke up a fight he had with another inmate. On that note, he felt it was best to observe him for a period of time to see where Nedry was now. Walker was aware the inmates could talk a good game. Some inmates backed it up with action to show they meant what they said, while others wanted to manipulate and gain control by any means possible. Right now, Walker couldn't determine which camp Nedry fell into—the inmate who was truly trying to change for the better, or the inmate who pretended so that he could get what he wanted.

"We'll see. I don't have an answer for you yet. That's regarding both your work assignment and classification for where you'll be placed."

"I won't go back to where I was before?" Nedry had hoped to be on the same cell block as Dieter Stark and Nick Van Owen. It would help to be around familiar faces.

Walker shook his head. "I don't think so."

He didn't want to say it aloud, but Nedry's violent behavior that he had witnessed during the first two years of his prison term had spilled over to the outside world during his time on the run. The situation where he assaulted Hammond, causing the older man to be hospitalized—this weighed heavily on Walker's mind. That didn't bode well for Nedry. His escape would also be counted against him. There was a greater chance of him remaining in solitary confinement or being placed under higher security measures. Walker felt it was best to wait it out.

"Give it a week's time and you'll meet with your assigned social worker. She'll discuss with you available work assignments and where you'll be housed."

"Okay," Nedry stepped away from the door, unsure of what else to say. Then it came to him. "I'm doing things differently, that's all. You once said if I wanted different results, that I'd have to do things differently."

Walker blinked. He remembered saying that to Nedry years ago. Hearing it come from him now was shocking. Had Nedry really changed? His demeanor appeared to be cooperative, and he was aiming to do better with his time if he was already asking about work assignments… He decided to keep in mind all his observations for a later time.

"I'll see you in a week and then we'll figure out where you're at," Walker said.

"Sounds good." Nedry went back to sit on the bed.

Walker walked away from the cell door; struck by the changes he had noticed in Nedry. He remembered the many times he had tried to get through to him years ago. Back then, Nedry ignored him at best, and at his worst, he was mouthy and sarcastic. Maybe he had listened to me after all… He decided to have Officer Johnson closely monitor Nedry for the upcoming week to see how he did in solitary confinement. If he cooperated, followed protocol, obeyed orders, and listened to authority, then it would give Walker incentive to consider Nedry's request for a work assignment and re-entry into the general population—even if he was placed under higher security.

As Nedry listened to Walker continue down the hallway, he mentally prepared himself for being in solitary for the continuing week. He had done more time in solitary before—an entire month. He would have to keep his wits about him as the time alone could be destructive. Especially with all the time in the world to think about how much time he might serve once Judge Hoskins sentenced him. He closed his eyes for a moment and was surprised to hear the inmate who had been punching the wall now talking to himself.

"My name is Barry Lowery…I had my own construction company…"

That would help. He could exercise as he had done before, but if he constantly reminded himself of who he was—or rather, who he once was before he went down the wrong path—then he could get through the next seven days—and the next twenty to thirty years. This was a perfect time to prepare for what might happen. Stifling a laugh, because he realized he may sound ridiculous at first, he forced himself to speak his truth.

"My name is Dennis Nedry…I was a systems analyst, a computer programmer…" he thought about how to end it. "I'm a man—not a number."

oOo

One week later, Corey Anderson parked in the section of the prison's parking lot reserved for visitors after passing by an area filled with vehicles labeled Sheriff Department and California Department of Corrections. Ian Malcolm, Robert Muldoon, and John Hammond exited and stood together as Anderson locked his car and came over to them.

Muldoon took in everything—the high gray walls, rolls of barbed wire, and cluster of concrete buildings. Prison, the last place Dennis wanted to be. Every single time Nedry had told him he'd never return rang in his mind now. Muldoon hoped Nedry would consider Hammond's offer as it might pave the way to his freedom, or at least, to restoring his life.

"I know we had planned to get in there sooner," Anderson said. "He was in solitary and not permitted visitors during that time."

"Why was he in solitary?" Hammond sounded worried. "Was he fighting with the other inmates or backtalking staff again?"

Anderson shook his head. "They had to review his file and place him. Walker told me he just re-entered general population, so now he can receive visitors again. I also explained to him that we're going to see if Dennis is willing to be a confidential informant. We'll be given a separate room to have that conversation."

"You can't ask him to be a snitch in front of other inmates," Malcolm confirmed. "It would put him at extreme risk."

"Exactly." Anderson was glad Malcolm was present. From what he had observed so far, Malcolm was sensible and the voice of reason, as was Muldoon. "The week also gave us time to fine-tune everything."

"It did," Malcolm agreed and turned to Hammond as the group started walking towards the administration building. "John, remember what we discussed. You must approach this from the angle that Dennis agreeing to be an informant is in his best interest. Don't make it be all about getting Henry back to InGen."

"It's what I want," Hammond grumbled as he leaned on his cane. "Henry needs to return."

"I know, but you can't make it be only that. If you want Dennis to go along with this, you must present it in a way that it's something that he wants to do because of what he can gain: a commuted sentence and a second chance. That's how you motivate him."

Hammond waved his hand in a dismissive manner.

Muldoon and Malcolm exchanged frustrated looks as they continued walking. They had this conversation with Hammond ad nauseam during the past week, after Walker informed them that they couldn't visit due to Nedry being housed in solitary confinement. Hammond was focused on Nedry convincing Henry Wu to return to InGen by any means necessary. Muldoon wanted him to emphasize what Nedry had told him just before he left Isla Nublar. Aside from Nedry making it clear that he had no plans to turn himself in, he had also mentioned how everyone from Biosyn had yet to face legal consequences for their actions. Nedry believed everyone associated with Dodgson—including Dodgson himself—should be brought to justice for their crimes. They should be locked up just as he had been.

"Make sure to mention that if he's a police informant, he will get his sentence reduced. Everyone from Dodgson's group will get put away," Muldoon said. "If they're incarcerated, then they can't interfere with InGen anymore and he can finally move on with his life."

Nice save, Malcolm mouthed to Muldoon who nodded. Muldoon knew how to steer the conversation in a manner that Hammond could hear and acknowledge—while also maintaining Malcolm's point. They entered the building and Muldoon felt like it was yesterday that he had come here for the first time. He recognized the white lobby and the glass partition up ahead. One door where prison employees entered and exited from. Anderson spoke to a correction officer and receptionist about having a scheduled meeting with the warden. Moments later, Daniel Walker came out.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Muldoon, and…" His voice trailed off.

"Dr. Ian Malcolm," Malcolm extended his hand.

"Detective Corey Anderson," Anderson did likewise.

"Nice to meet all of you. I'll have you all go through the metal detector and then we'll meet in my office."

oOo

Walker sat behind his desk while Malcolm, Hammond, Muldoon, and Anderson sat across from him in his office. For Walker, it felt like déjà vu when he had met with Hammond and his staff several years ago. Remembering how that visit ended last time, Walker hoped this would be a different experience for everyone involved.

"Where would you like to start?" he asked as he scanned their faces. Hammond looked excited as he sat up straight in the chair, eager and ready to go at a moment's notice. Malcolm and Muldoon appeared pensive as they remained silent and observant. Anderson was neutral—he had no stake in this. Just as he was wondering who would break the ice, Anderson spoke up.

"I'm the detective that apprehended Nedry, and I've spent the past week getting to know his employer, John Hammond, and his co-workers," he said, gesturing to Muldoon and Malcolm. "You're probably aware that he's looking at more charges and a longer sentence after being captured."

Walker nodded as tapped the top of a thick case file on his desk. It was almost as big as the one Anderson had brought with him to InGen's headquarters . "I was reading through it when he was first brought back. None of this is good. Years ago, I told him that if he went after anyone that he'd be brought back to serve more time."

"That's why we're here today. We're going to find out if he'll agree to being a confidential informant, so that he can get his sentence commuted." Anderson turned to Hammond. "You can explain your part."

Before Hammond started, Walker raised his hand. "I'm sorry to bring this up, but I read about your hospitalization, Mr. Hammond. Are you doing better now?"

Hammond offered a small smile. "I'm here, so I'm doing better than before. My recovery was a long journey, but I'm glad to move forward."

"That's great to hear. I understand Dennis was responsible for what happened."

Hammond turned to both Malcolm and Muldoon who sat on either side of him. They nodded, silently encouraging him to say what he needed to. "He did play a role in my hospitalization, although it was unintended."

"Unintended or not, you suffered because of his selfishness," Walker cut in.

Hammond paused before he responded. "It took time to come to terms with what he had done."

"I would think so. His behavior worsened over time when he was here and escalated once he escaped."

"But he's different from before." Hammond found himself clutching his walking cane tightly. "He's changed since that time. I'd even say that my stroke brought about that change."

Walker held Hammond's steady gaze. "What's changed?" He was curious to see what would come up—to see if it matched what he had seen the week before when he spoke with Nedry in the segregated unit.

"He accepts full responsibility for his actions," Hammond said.

Walker's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing. Holding oneself accountable for their actions was part of his rehabilitative efforts when he worked with prison inmates. He had always tried to drum it into Nedry's head back when Nedry began serving his term. In fact, it would be accurate to say that it came up all the time because whenever Nedry mouthed off at COs or got into a fight with other inmates, it was always the other person's fault—never his. Even if you showed a video of him throwing the first punch at another offender or cursing out the staff, he would shrug his shoulders and claim he was only reacting to whatever the person had said or done prior to the infraction he committed.

"He's trying to get his life in order," Muldoon added. "He mentioned that in court, how he wants to start over. We don't know the details, but after helping out InGen—"

"Wait, he helped out your company?!" Walker asked as his eyes flickered from Hammond to Muldoon. Of course, none of that was in Nedry's file. Nedry hadn't mentioned it either.

"Yes," Hammond answered. "It's a long story, but to be succinct: if it weren't for Dennis, my company would've ceased to exist. Everything my staff and I worked hard to create would've been down the drain if he hadn't taken the risks that he did."

"We're hoping that you can write a recommendation for his sentence reduction," Malcolm said. "A statement about his character—of who he is now."

Walker mulled over everything they were saying. His eye caught the thick case file on his desk, knowing it was filled to the brim with incident reports written about Nedry during his first two years.

"I'll consider writing it as I've seen a change in him as well, but I also need to observe his behavior for some more time. When do you need this recommendation?"

"Three weeks from now," Malcolm said. "It's to present to Judge Hoskins."

"That's not a lot of time, but I'll see what I can do." Walker gestured to the case file that remained closed. "If you read about Dennis Nedry based on the paperwork, it doesn't paint a flattering picture of him. Anyone who doesn't know him would think he's a hardened criminal with no remorse, who will only worsen if released."

Muldoon saw Hammond staring at the case file that was thick with paperwork.

"On his first day back, he asked for a work assignment which he just started yesterday. He's aiming to be more productive and that's saying a lot, considering he spent more time fighting and arguing with both my staff and other inmates last time he was here. Does he know about you asking him to be a police informant and the sentence reduction?"

Hammond shook his head.

"Not yet," Muldoon said.

"As a suggestion—don't mention me writing a recommendation. I want to see how he does on his own for the next two weeks. The time is cutting it close, but I'll make it happen based on his behavior. It's a good idea to mention the rest, just to see where he stands."

He dialed on his phone and spoke quickly with his staff. Based on the conversation he had, they surmised he was arranging for correction officers to bring Nedry over to another room in the prison. After hanging it up, he turned to them again.

"Robert and Dr. Malcolm," he gestured to them, "stay here while Mr. Hammond and Detective Anderson visit with him. I don't want him to feel ganged up on as he did last time; and it will give me a chance to fully understand the situation. When we're finished, we'll go from there. Sound good?"

oOo

Nedry was already seated when Hammond and Anderson arrived. They had been told it was a private conference room, but it resembled a police interrogation room. The walls were a drab gray and the overhead fluorescent light looked like it needed to be changed very soon. There was a small one-way rectangular mirror. Hammond and Anderson sat in the two empty chairs situated across the table. The entire time, Hammond tried not to stare at the bar on the table that Nedry was cuffed to. His right hand was free in case he needed to write anything or sign papers.

He also realized this was the first time seeing Nedry since the last time in the hospital. Nedry had visited with Lex, Grant, and Malcolm. Hammond recalled that he and Nedry had a pleasant conversation. Nedry had told him he would "rollerblade" out of the hospital, and Hammond thanked him for the unexpected visit. Communicating amicably was new for them …prior to it, they had a disagreeable history—and that was putting it nicely.

"Hello, Dennis…did you know we were coming today?"

Hammond started slowly, remembering the last—and only time—he had visited Nedry in prison. It was the total opposite of the hospital visit. He had accused him of passing along information to Dodgson. Nedry flew into a rage that day. He had stood up from the table and approached Hammond, which he was not allowed to do—and ended up in solitary confinement for thirty days. That was after yelling that he hated all of them—Hammond, Gennaro, Arnold—and Muldoon was his prime target. Hammond hoped this would be different as it was about helping him with his current situation and not unfairly accusing him.

"No, I didn't." Nedry shook his head and kept his voice low.

Anderson looked from Hammond to Nedry and back to Hammond again. He wondered if he should give them privacy. He noticed Nedry staring at him. It was clear that he was wondering why the cop who had captured him was present. He decided to speak on it.

"I'm Detective Corey Anderson. You know I apprehended you several weeks ago, but today, I'm working with John, as well as your co-workers to help you. It's not just for today but going forward."

Nedry's eyebrows rose questioningly. "Co-workers?"

"Those you know from InGen: Robert Muldoon and Dr. Ian Malcolm."

"And how are you going to 'help' me?"

"I'll let John explain that part."

Hammond thought about what Malcolm and Muldoon told him and now the time had come to start putting his ideas into action. "I know everything that happened during my absence. I also found out about Henry."

"Oh…that…" Nedry's eyes lowered to the table.

"I also know that you're facing serious charges because of your shenanigans with Dodgson, my situation with the stroke…"

Nedry scoffed. "My 'shenanigans'? That's an interesting way to describe it."

Hammond approached this next part carefully. "I know you're looking at more prison time, Dennis."

"It's to be expected after all the bullshit I did. 'Cause it's way more than just 'shenanigans'."

Hammond was inwardly relieved that what he said didn't elicit an angry reaction. It further confirmed that Nedry held himself accountable. If this conversation had taken place years ago, Nedry would've wasted no time blaming everyone for his choices—especially Arnold and Muldoon.

"I have an idea and I want to hear your thoughts."

"Okay…" Nedry sounded uncertain.

"I'm willing to fight for you to get a reduced sentence—I mean, I'd like it to be a full pardon so you can walk free, but I'm not sure…"

Hammond stopped when he saw Nedry staring at the table. Did he say something wrong? He was about to ask Anderson when he heard Nedry mumbling.

"I'm facing life in prison, or at least, being put away for a very long time…I'm not sure what you're looking for. You were at my arraignment for a reason, right?"

"I was there because you had been found." He avoided using the words "arrested", "captured", and "apprehended" …and he was avoiding getting to the point which Nedry was accurately aware of.

"What do you want, John?"

Hammond was familiar with Nedry's bluntness. "I want to know if you're willing to give up information about Lewis Dodgson and Biosyn—his group, what he did when he occupied my island, and even before that."

"Any information you have will be valuable," Anderson said, "We're looking to see if you'd be open to being a confidential informant."

"You mean be a snitch?" Nedry chuckled. "Just call it what it is."

"In a manner of speaking—yes."

A period of silence passed in the interrogation room. Nedry glanced at the one-way mirror as though trying to determine if someone else was outside listening in on the conversation. Then he turned back to Anderson who calmly waited and Hammond who looked worried that he'd refuse.

"I'll give you whatever information you want. Do you want this as a written statement? I can say more in writing."

Hammond exhaled slowly. This went easier than he expected, but there was more that he hadn't gotten to yet. He listened to Nedry and Anderson talk.

"I'd accept it in writing and hope that the courts will find it admissible."

"You don't know if they will?" Nedry was surprised.

"It can go either way, but I'll talk to Judge Hoskins about it."

"Fair enough. Do you want me to start writing this now? It's gonna be quite long."

"Whenever you can," Anderson said. He turned to Hammond now and sat closer to the table. "There's another part in this. John?"

Hammond had been staring at the cuff attached to Nedry's wrist. Inwardly, he questioned why Nedry had been made to sit while restrained in the conference room/interrogation room, but he didn't openly say anything aloud about it. Instead, he went on to the main part of what he wanted to ask Nedry. He just hoped Nedry would continue to be receptive.

"There's…one more thing," Hammond said slowly.

Nedry gestured with his free hand, indicating for Hammond to continue.

"I'm wondering…if you can convince Henry to return to InGen—he's been calling the control room. He hangs up all the time, but they think it's him."

"Who's 'they'?"

"Everyone on the island."

A long awkward silence passed. Nedry started to push away from the table, but the cuff attached to his wrist limited his movement. Anderson watched him carefully, studying his body language. It was obvious that Nedry was taken aback by Hammond's request.

"So why don't you call him back and tell him to return to InGen?"

"It's not that simple."

"Yes, it is! You pick up the phone and press the digits." Nedry tapped the table with his free pointer-finger in a motion like dialing a phone number on a telephone keypad. Then he imitated picking up a telephone and holding it up to his ear. "You let it ring and hope he picks up. If he picks up, you tell him to bring his fame-hungry-self back to Jurassic Park. Why's that so hard?!"

"That's him—right there," Hammond said, turning to Anderson while pointing at Nedry. "That's the obnoxious version of Dennis Nedry I've known for years. The docile quiet version you captured—that was a façade. What you saw just now—that's the real him."

Nedry looked from Hammond to Anderson, unsure of why he was being made a spectacle. Anderson was studying him, and Hammond had a strange expression on his face as though Nedry had proven a point for him that he wasn't aware of. Nedry didn't know what to make of it. He was going to ask about it and decided not to. It was better to emphasize that coming around had to be Wu's decision without outside interference from anyone.

"Henry needs to make that decision himself, just like I came around. And how would I convince him anyway?"

"You'd go back to Dodgson. Slip back into Biosyn's headquarters—"

Nedry pushed away from the table again—or as much as he was able to—in an agitated manner. "When were you gonna say all this? You're doing it again, John—expecting me to do a huge undertaking for you while keeping me in the dark about the details!"

Hammond opened his mouth, wanting to explain himself, and then closed it just as quickly. He had to gather his thoughts on how to respond. Nedry was right: he had kept him in the dark before…

Anderson's eyebrows knitted together, uncertain of what Nedry referred to. He zipped his jacket as it seemed the conference room had grown colder suddenly.

"If you want my help—then you need to be straightforward about everything. Same for you!" Nedry pointed at Anderson.

Anderson nodded in agreement. "You're right. Cards on the table. We'll accept a written statement from you. If you can get inside Dodgson's new headquarters as a police informant, obtain as much information as you can, while also convincing Henry to return to InGen, we'll fight for you to get a sentence reduction—for your sentence to be commuted."

"And what does this 'sentence reduction' entail? Five years off my current sentence?"

"We don't know yet, but we'll make sure it's worth your while, especially because of the dangers inherent in being a police informant."

"Yeah, no kidding." Nedry glared at both Anderson and Hammond, annoyed that they weren't forthright with him from the beginning. "'Cause I'm just meeting up with Dodgson and his crew for tea and scones."

Hammond had been staring at the table and he looked up sharply when he heard Nedry's vitriolic tone. He knew it all too well.

"I'll write whatever the hell it is you guys want, but I'm not going in there. Dodgson will kill me, John. He's tried before. My luck will run out this time." He turned to Anderson. "This is more for John. Not you, Mr. Anderson."

He focused on Hammond again, who had now taken off his hat and held it in his hands, as though ashamed that he had been caught in the act of keeping Nedry in the dark—again. Hammond stared at his hat, not arguing against or contradicting anything Nedry said.

"Look, I know you're still mad at me for what I did to you, to everyone, and to the company. I never meant for you to get hurt and end up in the hospital. I'm sorry, John." Nedry froze for a brief moment as though shocked that he was apologizing to Hammond. "I really am sorry for what happened to you, but you're asking me to risk my life and for what?!"

When Hammond didn't respond, Nedry continued.

"I've already helped InGen. Dodgson's group got kicked off the island after Robert kicked Roland's ass. I screwed up the tour that Dodgson was doing, which stopped him from handing the park over to Biosyn. What more do you want from me?!"

Hammond looked up sharply. He had followed everything he said, but one part stood out that he knew he had to address. "I'm not mad at you, Dennis. I've let that all go…" It was on the tip of his tongue to come right out and say it. He stalled for a brief moment before pushing himself to say it aloud. "I forgive you—I'm not angry at you for what's happened before…not anymore."

"What the hell?!" Nedry pulled away again, wanting to get up and leave the room, although he couldn't.

Anderson watched as the outsider: Nedry struggled to respond while Hammond maintained a calm composure. Obviously, there was an intense history between them. He saw that the conversation was about to get heavier—before it could, he needed to take down the valuable information Nedry had just revealed.

"Can you backtrack? You said Dodgson has tried to kill you before?" Anderson took out his pocket notebook and pen from his jacket, ready to jot down whatever Nedry shared.

"He sent his loyal dogs after me, so I took care of them. I smashed one guy's kneecap, broke the arm of another stooge, and pistol-whipped the ringleader. I let the fourth one go 'cause he was just a kid making a dumb decision."

Anderson nodded as he scribbled down everything Nedry said. Then he looked up, his eyes widened in realization. "That's why they said you were 'armed and dangerous'."

Nedry shrugged. "I didn't shoot anyone—just the van's tires and into the air. Baldy got smacked with his own gun." He made a motion with his free hand as though he were pistol-whipping someone. Then he remembered that he offered to give up names. "Howard King, I smashed his kneecap. George Baselton, I broke his arm. Roland Tembo, I smacked him with his handgun. Eric Kirby, I told him to get the hell out of there—and he did. Smart kid."

"Got it." Anderson finished writing everything down.

Nedry sighed, annoyed at how they were holding back from him—both Hammond and Anderson. "I gave you the info you wanted, so now I get to ask the questions. Why are you doing this? Why are all of you here?"

Anderson remained steadfast as he held Nedry's skeptical glare. "Because we're gonna bring down Lewis Dodgson—him and his entire group—and we need your help. You can start by telling me about the murder attempt."

"What?! Wait—" Hammond lost the tight grip on his cane and it clattered to the floor. As he leaned down to pick it up, he wondered to himself why Malcolm, Grant, or Ellie didn't reveal this to him earlier. When he sat back up again, his posture was stiff. "I had no idea, Dennis."

Nedry waited for Hammond to regain his composure and then continued. "Attempts. Plural. I told you part of it just now."

"With the four men?" Anderson asked.

"Yes, he put a hit on me after I left Biosyn. That's why he sent those guys after me—Tembo, King, Baselton, and that kid, Kirby. I just explained this." Nedry rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Do I need to go over it again?"

"No, I'm just trying to keep track of everything. That was the first attempted hit."

"Right, and then he tried again."

Anderson nodded as he scribbled on his pocket notebook. "Go on, I'm listening."

"He knew I would tell InGen about his screwy plans to invade John's island. He abducted me and Robert Muldoon not too long after that, hoping we'd kill each other off or that we'd simply die out on Isla Sorna." He saw Anderson's confused look. "It's another island that InGen has used—that John leased from the Costa Rican government."

Anderson stopped writing and looked up. "He abducted you both?"

"Uh-huh." Nedry sounded bored now and he started to drum his fingers on the table.

"What was the other attempted hit?"

"He ordered his group…to beat the living shit out of me…" Nedry's voice dropped, and he spoke slowly, recalling that traumatic experience. "That was a close one…I really thought it was over then, because the cop he had bribed to turn his back delayed me getting medical attention."

"Dodgson did that to you?!" Hammond asked, his eyes widened. "I remember seeing you in the hospital when you were brought in. You looked awful!" It was only that he noticed the fingers on Nedry's right hand appeared stiff…

Embarrassed, Nedry hung his head, refusing to look in his direction. "I'm okay now."

"How much time passed between the gang assault and you getting medical care?" Anderson asked, still taking notes. Inwardly, he reflected on the detached way Nedry delivered the information. Or rather, how Nedry tried to appear far removed from the violence he experienced at Dodgson's hands.

"I don't know. Days? Weeks?" Nedry shrugged. "Long enough."

"Got it." Anderson put away his pocket notebook and pen in his jacket. "I'll give you two some privacy." He stood up and approached the door. Just before the correction officer opened the door to let him out, he heard snippets of their conversation.

"How could you even say that, John? 'Forgive' me? That's impossible."

"It's not impossible at all."

"But why?"

Hammond leaned forward at Nedry who looked at him in disbelief. "Because I know what you did to make things right again. I know you risked it all for InGen, and I'll always be grateful to you for that."

"Yeah, but—"

"I had to forgive you, even if you hadn't helped InGen. My recovery depended on it."

That was the last part Anderson heard before the door closed behind him. Now he was outside, standing near the one-way mirror where he could still observe them. He was surprised to see Muldoon and Malcolm already there, also listening and watching.

"We finished talking to Mr. Walker," Malcolm explained. "We gave him a rundown of what Dennis did to right his wrongs and help InGen. He planned on coming back for you and John. One of the guards escorted us here."

"That was fast," Anderson commented.

"It was a lot to go over," Muldoon said. "We did the best we could, but I think he's got a full picture now of how much Dennis has changed." He watched the present interaction between Nedry and Hammond. "Watching this is surreal, especially knowing why he betrayed John. I never thought I'd witness this." He started towards the door when Malcolm called him back.

"They need to hash this out first. When you, Ray, and Dennis had that moment after kicking off Dodgson's group, I told Alan and Ellie that you guys needed that moment to finally reconcile everything."

"They need this too," Muldoon said, pointing at Nedry and Hammond who were in the midst of a heated conversation in the conference room/interrogation room.

Malcolm nodded. "Yes, and theirs has been a long time coming."

They turned their attention to the conversation between Hammond and Nedry now. Hammond moved his seat closer to the table to bridge the gap between them. Nedry shook his head, furious at whatever Hammond was saying to him.

"You did tremendous last time."

"You make it sound like I was the star actor in a Broadway play. I did tremendous." Nedry spat out the word.

"Why are you acting this way?! I told the judge and the warden you changed and now you're back to your gross sarcasm."

"Because you want me to do it again—for Henry-I'm So Special, Worship Me-Wu—of all people! For the guy who stabbed you in the back so that he can end up on the front pages of international newspapers, Time magazine, and get millions of interviews."

"You stabbed me in the back for money, Dennis." Hammond wasn't emotional when he stated this. He was stating a clear and proven fact.

"Because you wouldn't pay me—you—" Nedry stammered, completely unlike himself.

"What did I do?" Hammond was genuinely curious to hear his perspective.

Nedry stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious—you know damn well what you did! We talked about it after my sentence hearing."

"I'm serious and I'm listening."

They faced each other across the table for a full minute, neither man speaking. The silence was suffocating. The only other moment where they experienced this extreme tension was during their confrontation near the raptor pen. The conflict that had existed for many years between them was about to erupt in the worst way—or finally get resolved.

"I'll tell you what you already know. You wanted these systems made. You didn't give me any information on what it was for. You kept me in the dark the whole time, and then wanted changes made at the last minute." Nedry paused to catch his breath as the words had rushed out before he could process it all. "I asked for more compensation, and you refused to pay me for the extra work. On top of all that, you sent letters to my other clients, saying I was unreliable. There were other choice words you used to describe me in those letters and I'm not gonna repeat them."

"Such as?"

Hammond's question was genuine, but he could tell from Nedry's piercing glare that he wasn't going to entertain what he believed to be feigned ignorance.

"You know what they are. You and everyone working in the control room know damn well all the wonderful words you used to describe me."

Hammond didn't know how to respond. All the times he yelled at Nedry that he had screwed up, called him a slob… He could hear his bitter tone when addressing Nedry, and now, Hammond felt his face heat up with shame. He wanted to turn away but he forced himself to deal with the dreaded confrontation head-on.

"You nearly ruined my career, John—you came an inch away of destroying everything I worked hard for." Nedry palms were sweaty, a slight dizzy spell passed over him, and his heart rate leaped. All the anger he felt towards Hammond was physically manifesting itself. "You blackmailed me and threatened lawsuits, so when Lewis Dodgson came along and offered me over a million dollars to steal lizard embryos—you know the rest of the story. You don't get to act surprised that I betrayed you. I don't know why you'd expect me to be loyal to you after all that nonsense."

Hammond threw away every instinct that wanted to defend himself. Self-preservation. No, this was a long time coming. He had told Ellie Sattler in the control room that his poor decisions had a domino effect…

"I do know why you betrayed me, you're right…"

His voice trailed off as he glanced at Nedry's left hand, noticing the steel cuff, and his right hand with fingers that had been badly injured in the recent past. All of this was wrong, Hammond knew. Nedry was a brilliant computer systems analyst. He's not supposed to be locked up, and he should've never been subjected to Dodgson's violence, Hammond thought as a long sigh escaped from him. And I shouldn't have pressured and cornered him into doing what I wanted for InGen.

"Although I was furious that you betrayed me to Dodgson, I understand why it happened…" Hammond paused as he considered his next words. He hoped Nedry would hear him, and more importantly, believe him. "I see where I went wrong, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the cruel way I treated you, and for threatening your livelihood."

Nedry's eyes fell to the table before he looked at Hammond again and noticed the older man had seemed to soften over time. He didn't know what to say as a heavy feeling settled in his stomach. All he could do was nod in acknowledgement as he willed himself to calm down. He was surprised—he never expected to get an apology from Hammond, much less an acknowledgement. It meant a lot that Hammond openly admitted his part in their conflict. He wanted to thank Hammond, but the expression of gratitude eluded him.

"Okay…yeah, that's…"

Nedry was a loss for words, so he went in the other direction and considered Hammond's offer. If he succeeded, he might serve a lot less time than thirty years. That was certainly a win, hands down. He wanted Dodgson to go down for everything he had done against InGen. But convincing Henry Wu to return?! That was a big question mark.

"Your offer…the commuted sentence?"

"What do you think about it?" Hammond sounded hopeful and his lips perked up slightly, a hesitant smile.

"It sounds good, but what if Henry doesn't want to come back? What happens to that so-called clemency, sentence reduction...?"

"We'll figure it out," Hammond said. He was being honest, as he didn't have an answer yet, but he knew a solution would eventually come forth. Then he realized his tone came off nonchalant which he didn't intend. "Wait—I didn't mean—"

"That's not good enough. You want me to put my neck out there to get Henry back, but I may not make it out alive and I guess that would be better for you and everyone in InGen. With a dead Dennis you don't have to do anything."

Nedry's heart pounded and his cuffed hand became sweaty as anger drenched him again. Hammond wanted Wu to return, but there was no recourse in case things didn't go according to plan or if it blew up in his face. And why would Hammond—or anyone—care if he met his end this time? After everything he had done, it would seem like just deserts.

"You and Dodgson are two sides of the same coin—Dodgson held incarceration over my head and now you're holding freedom over my head."

Hammond abruptly moved away from the table, trying to put distance between him and Nedry. Before he could formulate a response, Nedry pulled back when he realized the weight of his words. Comparing Hammond to Dodgson was insulting.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said that. I just don't see how this will end well for Henry or me."

Just then, the correction officer opened the door and Malcolm entered the room to join them.

"What's this, everyone's coming out of the woodwork?" Nedry asked, his eyes flickering from Hammond to Malcolm, who came to stand at the head of the table. "Who else is here with you?"

"Robert Muldoon," Malcolm said. "He wants to talk with you privately. I've been listening to everything the entire time if you want me to be honest—or rather, the tail end of it," he continued, not the least bit fazed by their surprised reactions. "John, your wishes can have very unpredictable outcomes. There's no reason to assume Henry will be eager to rejoin InGen, especially since he left on poor terms."

"You see? If Dr. Malcolm said it, then it's fact," Nedry said to Hammond who looked like he was glaring at Malcolm now.

"And Dennis, it's okay to acknowledge what little control you have here. You can do your part, but Henry must meet you halfway."

"Thank you! Dr. Malcolm gets it!" Nedry gestured at Malcolm, who took a bow like a Broadway actor at the curtain call after an amazing performance.

Malcolm went to stand behind Hammond and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Come on…let Robert have his chance. Give them their privacy."

Hammond stood up and took his hat from the table. "I don't know how much we convinced him," he told Malcolm as he headed for the door.

"About forty-five percent, and yes, I can hear you, John."

Hammond turned around and saw Nedry waving bye, a plastic grin plastered on his face. "Will you really think it over? This can be an opportunity for you to get your life back on track. If you get a sentence reduction, you can start over again."

Nedry's grin faded, but he nodded, serious this time. Hammond sighed in relief as Malcolm escorted him out of the room. Nedry watched him leave and slouched back in his chair, exhausted from that recent exchange. It was a lot to process—Hammond offering to fight to have his sentence commuted, apologizing for almost derailing his career, even going as far as to saying he forgave him. He had never expected any of that from Hammond. The most important thing was Hammond sounded sincere. Nedry didn't think Hammond would say any of those things unless he truly meant them. It was interesting to see how much Hammond had changed.

He didn't have much time to think about it because now Muldoon took a seat across from him. This had happened quicker than he expected. He was going to ask the correction officer in the room for paper and a pen to start writing his statement, but he figured he could wait until later to start writing all the information he had about Dodgson and Biosyn. The correction officer closed the door and Nedry looked at the one-way mirror again. The whole situation seemed topsy-turvy now, especially knowing that Hammond, Malcolm, and Anderson were on the other side listening to everything. Was Walker listening too? Nedry put that thought out of his mind and focused on Muldoon now.

"It's been some time, Dennis," Muldoon said as he sat across the table from him. He avoided staring at the cuff that chained Nedry to a bar on the table.

"Dr. Malcolm said you wanted to speak with me privately?" Nedry pointed at the one-way mirror.

"I do."

"I'm all ears, Robert."

Muldoon was surprised at how Nedry didn't sound like himself. His arrogant demeanor was non-existent. Instead, he appeared exhausted, like he wanted to go to sleep for an entire week. His eyes were dark and puffy, and he kept trying to suppress his yawning. Muldoon wondered how this conversation would go. They had developed a mutual respect when the Biosyn team left them stranded on Isla Sorna. It was a difficult journey to get to that point, especially given that they had hated each other for years when Muldoon first discovered Nedry's betrayal.

"You're here now…" Muldoon realized he had no idea how to start. He remembered their last conversation before Nedry left Isla Nublar. Muldoon had asked Nedry if he finally felt free and Nedry had reversed the question to him. Back then, Muldoon didn't have an answer, and even now, he still didn't—so all he could do was state the obvious. "You're not free anymore."

"I haven't been for some time, but you know that already."

"I'm shocked." Muldoon removed his fedora, placing it on the table. "I'm not seeing the same man who refused to turn himself in—who said he'd make the most of his time, even if it meant being a fugitive and evading the law. You even pled guilty to all the charges."

"How else did you expect me to plead?"

"Not guilty?"

"That's a waste of everyone's time. As for me not being free anymore…" Nedry avoided Muldoon's piercing eyes and found another point in the cramped dark room to focus on. "I know what I want to do with my life, but I don't know where to begin. I thought it would be great to be free, but…"

"But what?"

"But there's no way to get a job and live, and still be on the run at the same time—it's too much. I don't know how people manage to stay on the run for years. I barely made it two months on my own once I left the island."

"I told you to stay at the park."

"You also told me I have a prison term to finish serving. Now that I'm back here, aren't you glad?" Nedry gestured to the room they sat in, indicating the prison.

"No, I'm not 'glad'." Muldoon's words echoed in his mind: you have a prison term to finish serving… He regretted saying those words now, especially after everything Nedry had done to redeem himself.

"It was either turn myself in or stay at Jurassic Park. Those were the choices you gave me, and I rejected both because I wanted to start over. I couldn't stay there because that put you and everyone at risk."

Muldoon became quiet when he remembered Nedry saying that. At the time, he thought Nedry was being selfish, but now he realized that in leaving to protect everyone else—he was being the opposite of selfish. More like selfless, he mused. He also understood now that staying on the island would be difficult for Nedry, especially after everything he had done. He needed to get away from the very place that held bad memories for him. Although he did his part to help InGen, he needed to begin anew.

"I don't know how to start my life over from scratch—which is what you told me to do after I gave you back the money. The 'blood money', remember?"

Muldoon let out a low sigh. He did say that, and he had taken his money-filled bag. In fact, that bag was in his living quarters at the staff lodge, sitting on the floor of his closet. It was still filled with money… Muldoon didn't know what to do with it, so he left it there.

"I'm not gonna ask you what you did with it and I'm not blaming you. I don't play blame games anymore."

"I thought you went back to Cambridge?" Despite how depressing Nedry's situation sounded, Muldoon hoped that something had went right for him once he left Isla Nublar.

"I did and my so-called friend threatened to call the police on me if I contact him again. Don't ever show your face here again, he said. It's harsh, but at least I know where I stand in his view." Nedry swallowed his embarrassment as the memory replayed itself in his mind. Being ostracized and made to feel like he had no value because of his past poor decisions was horrible. "I was hoping to get a job, even an entry-level position in my field, but he knew about the stupidity I had done before and wanted nothing to do with me."

"You were trying to start over. Why did you give up so fast?"

"I didn't give up."

"You did."

Nedry shifted in his chair to avoid facing Muldoon. "Anyone can find my record and that'll be used against me no matter where I go. That doesn't sound like a promising future."

"So, you thought just plead guilty after they captured you?"

"It's not as easy as you make it sound." Nedry traced shapes with his finger on the table, still trying to distract himself from Muldoon's cold stare. Even if Muldoon didn't intentionally do it, he had a manner of staring him down that Nedry found intimidating. "At least in prison, I'll have a roof over my head, and I'll know where my next meal is coming from. I won't have the outside world judging me and writing me off for being a convicted felon because I'll be on the inside with folks in the same boat as me. I won't have to sleep in a used car and constantly look over my shoulder. It's scary as hell—not knowing if the person waiting at the bus stop is a bounty hunter in disguise."

Based on what he was saying, Muldoon wondered if Nedry was institutionalized—when the individual has difficulty adjusting to life on the outside because they're used to life on the inside. Muldoon considered everything he heard from Nedry so far: he was hypervigilant, overwhelmed with the fear of rejection, and anxious about his future. He felt shame and guilt for his past crimes—Nedry barely looked him in the eye when they spoke and his tone was somber.

Muldoon's eyes flickered to the cuff on Nedry's wrist. It saddened Muldoon to know that although Nedry had changed, he was still treated like an unapologetic criminal. He was still snarky as that was his personality, but the bitter man who had blamed his co-workers for his poor choices—that man no longer existed. Others acted as though he was still that same person: Judge Hoskins and the prison warden, Daniel Walker, came to mind. Even he had acted that way towards Nedry when reminding him he had a prison term to finish serving… Muldoon saw where he had gone wrong now, and he made a mental note to bring up that concern at some point. He didn't know when, but he'd watch out for an opportune time. Right now, he tried a hopeful direction.

"What about the deal that John's trying to make with Judge Hoskins? They may reduce your sentence or even grant you a full pardon."

"It sounds conditional. I can write a novel about everything I did when I was with Dodgson and Biosyn, but what if Henry doesn't want to return? What then?"

Muldoon blinked. Nedry's chair scrapped against the floor when he moved.

"That's the question no one can answer. Me earning my freedom or having my sentence commuted is based on Henry's decision—no matter how much effort I put into trying to get him to come to his senses."

"I don't think he wants to be with Biosyn though." He wasn't sure what to say about Nedry's thoughts about clemency being fully dependent on Wu's decision to return to InGen, but he didn't think that was the case.

"He doesn't, but that doesn't mean he'll turn around and leave them."

"Why not?" Muldoon leaned forward, indicating he was ready to listen. He had come to value Nedry's insight on Dodgson and now Wu. It was the complete opposite when they were left stranded on Isla Sorna. Back then, Muldoon refused to hear a syllable from Nedry about Wu's betrayal.

"Three things." Nedry ticked off three fingers on his restrained hand. "Pride. Selfishness. Fear. Pride in that he's too proud to admit that he made a mistake—although deep down inside he's overwhelmed with shame. Selfishness because he's making it be about what he wants for himself—fame and recognition for his accomplishments. Fear because he's afraid of what Lew Dodgson will do to him—he saw what Dodgson did to me, and he doesn't want to be in my shoes. Trust me on that one. I don't want to be in my shoes either—not after everything I've done, but I can't escape myself and Henry can't escape himself either. Betrayal is the gift that keeps on giving."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning when you screw over others for fame, fortune, or whatever your reasons, you end up screwing up your life. There are no winners when someone backstabs another. Everyone loses. How did John take it?"

"It's been difficult for him. He's hurting and you can see it in his face, but he won't tell us how he feels. He just wants him to come back to InGen."

"I get that, but what John fails to realize is that Henry returning has to come from himself. Just like I did."

"What do you mean?"

Nedry released an exaggerated sigh. Muldoon could tell it meant Nedry felt the answer should be obvious.

"Henry will come around when seeing his name in bright lights isn't his priority anymore. When the relationships he had with John, you, and everyone else are more important than fifteen minutes of fame."

Muldoon considered this as he stared at the bar on the table. "Was it the same for you?"

"Yeah. After you and John were badly effected from me releasing the raptors, money wasn't my god anymore. I wish I had woken up sooner, but I was selfish and wanted what I wanted. Right now, Henry is full of himself. When he stops thinking only of himself, then he will return or he'll try to reach out."

"He has though."

"By calling and hanging up the phone?" Nedry chuckled. "That's lame."

There was a long awkward silence. Muldoon glanced at his watch. He had only been in the prison for an hour, but he imagined that for Nedry, it must feel like an eternity. He stole another glance at the restraint, and this time, Nedry noticed.

"You can ask about it. I know you want to."

"What?" Muldoon was caught off guard.

"This." Nedry lifted his cuffed hand an inch above the table. "John was looking too. It's embarrassing, but there's nothing I can do about it."

"I was just wondering why. Is it even necessary?"

"I'm seen as a VO now. Violent Offender. They want to prevent me from getting up like last time."

"I remember." Muldoon kept his voice neutral.

"Then there's my escape. So, it's either I'm gonna punch someone in the face, run out of the prison, or step behind this table. All three things make me high-risk in the system."

Muldoon didn't have an adequate response. He and Nedry had fought brutally twice. Then there were times when Nedry was violent for valid reasons: such as defending himself against Baselton, King, and Tembo when they attempted to kill him on Dodgson's orders. Regardless of whether the circumstances were unwarranted or valid, Muldoon found himself unable to speak in either situation. He wanted to say that it was unfair how Nedry was still being treated like an unrepentant offender, but the words wouldn't come out and he didn't know why. Thankfully, Nedry recognized his discomfort and changed the topic.

"You were right. Running away only delayed the inevitable. I ran into them right before I got captured."

"'Them'?"

"Dodgson's group: Raúl Lopez, Sonya Durant, Roland Tembo, and…" Nedry paused, unsure if he should continue, knowing it would provoke a reaction from Muldoon. Muldoon jumped ahead of him.

"Henry Wu."

Nedry met Muldoon's steely gaze and nodded. "To go back to what you said, I could tell he's not happy running around with Biosyn. He doesn't want to be anywhere near them. You're one hundred percent right on the money, but he doesn't see a way out."

"You could be his way out."

Nedry tapped his foot, frustrated. "I don't know why John doesn't ask you or Ray to speak with him. What about Dr. Grant?"

"You have a unique advantage that we don't."

"And that is?"

"Out of everyone, you would understand why he went the wrong path. Coming from me or Ray, or even Dr. Grant, it won't be convincing."

"What makes you or anyone think I can sway Henry to return to InGen?"

"Because you get it. You came around—and you were on a dark path for a long time. Dennis, you were wrong that time we were on Isla Sorna."

"Wrong about what? Henry? You found out the truth—"

"No." Muldoon leaned forward. "Remember when you said there's no redemption for traitors?" He studied Nedry's expression to see if he remembered. They had many talks on Isla Sorna and Muldoon was referring to when Nedry spoke on the consequences of betraying those who trusted him.

" 'There's no redemption for traitors'… I said that?"

Muldoon blinked, shocked at Nedry's response. "Don't you remember?"

Nedry massaged his temples with his free hand. Muldoon was under the impression that he was wondering why this was being brought up now. More than anything, he couldn't believe this was the same Nedry he had last seen several months ago. They were two totally different people.

"You redeemed yourself. I never thought you could, neither did Ray. To be bloody honest with you, I don't believe you thought you could either, but we were all wrong."

Nedry glanced at Muldoon's facial scars, knowing full well how he got them. "I appreciate the sentiment, Robert—and I'm not being a sarcastic asshole when I say that."

A brief silence passed.

"I know what John wants—what you all want. I…" Nedry fumbled with his words, which was uncharacteristic of him. "I can't do it. I'm sorry. Let Henry redeem himself in his own time."

"Why?"

"Why can't you drop it?"

Again, Muldoon looked in the direction of the one-way mirror, knowing that Hammond was counting on him to steer Nedry into undertaking this task. He heard the edge that had crept into Nedry's voice though...

"All of you think I can just waltz into Biosyn's headquarters, tell Henry 'everyone from InGen loves and misses you!', blah-blah-blah, and he'll jump to leave. If it were Henry by himself, it would be easy, but it won't be only him. I'd have to face all of them—Lew Dodgson, Lopez, Tembo, and even Sonya. Howard King and George Baselton too, but I don't count those two idiots."

Muldoon inwardly sighed. He had one ace up his sleeve. Hammond might've already played it, but he decided to try anyway. "You're facing a lot of prison time—you know that, right?"

"Of course, I know! I was standing right in front of Judge Hoskins at my arraignment when he told me I would get a longer sentence."

"John wants to help you. It's his way of showing appreciation for what you did to straighten things out at the park."

"John means well, but there's no way I'm getting a full pardon—not after everything I've done."

"If you try to do what he's asking of you, you have a chance to be free, and to live your own life," Muldoon tried again. "That was the most important thing to you at one time, but now it's not."

"You don't get it—none of you do!" Nedry pointed at him and then gestured angrily at the one-way mirror where he knew Malcolm, Hammond, and Anderson waited and listened on the other side. "I'd rather rot in a prison cell than face Dodgson again. I would take the longer sentence that I earned, given all the stupid nonsense I did after he broke me out of prison."

"You mean all those times you trespassed with Biosyn?"

"Everything. The times I fought with you, or how I'm responsible for putting John in the hospital."

"Hammond's stroke wasn't completely your fault—we both know that."

Nedry looked at Muldoon as though he belonged in an insane asylum. "That's a line of lizard shit—and we both know that."

Muldoon clenched his fists under the table. He wasn't getting through to him. The most shocking aspect was that Nedry holding himself accountable was making it more difficult. Even so, he didn't want Nedry to notice his frustration.

"If I get locked up for another thirty years—hell, even forty years, I'm not blaming you, Robert. I'm not blaming you or Ray, or even John. I played stupid games and won stupid prizes. That's my fault and mine alone."

Muldoon realized what Nedry was implying when he heard his voice crack. Nedry wasn't just afraid of Dodgson—he was terrified of him. He'd rather face the possibility of life imprisonment than face Dodgson (or anyone from Biosyn) again. Given how badly Nedry screwed up Dodgson's plans, it was understandable. He was also glad Nedry fully accepted responsibility for his actions, but that seemed minor compared to his very real fear. Knowing that Dodgson and his group had put Nedry through hell before—and would do so again, given that he had made them fail to acquire Jurassic Park—Muldoon understood why he didn't want to be anywhere near them.

Then again, something wasn't quite right. Nedry didn't want to face Dodgson, but he had been captured in Cupertino—the city of Biosyn's headquarters. His actions and words aren't matching up, Muldoon thought. There's a disconnect. Why was he captured in the place where Biosyn is located?

"I don't understand why you were in Cupertino. You knew you risked running into them."

"I was gonna finish what I started."

Muldoon wasn't sure how to interpret Nedry's ambiguous answer. "I don't know what that means."

"You don't need to know and that's all I have to say about it."

Muldoon decided he had done enough. Nedry's snippy answer was off-putting, and they would keep going in circles. He stood up, getting ready to leave the interrogation room. Then it came to him as he sat back down again.

"There's been something on my mind lately that you need to think about. Two things."

Nedry's eyebrows rose in acknowledgement while he drummed his fingers on the table.

"The first thing: It's good that you came back that night—you know, the first time you shut down security when everyone was on the tour to approve Jurassic Park. You came back and restored the power."

Nedry continued to drum his fingers, indicating his annoyance. "So what?"

"So, do you realize that if anything had happened to you that night, or if you didn't come back in time to restore the power that people could've been killed? That we wouldn't be sitting here right now?"

The drumming abruptly stopped and now Nedry looked at Muldoon, a thoughtful expression on his face. "No, I hadn't thought about it before." The anger had evaporated from his voice.

"I'm just asking you—"

"To try to help Henry get on the right path again. Set him straight? See if he even wants to return, give him an out."

Muldoon nodded. He noticed Nedry wasn't as upset as before, and that he was now considering it.

"It's not just about getting your sentence reduced, although I understand you want a brand-new start. Do it because it's the right thing—and knowing that you have InGen backing you up. Because of what Ray said when Henry left with Dodgson."

"You mean about reaching me before I went down a wrong path?"

"Yeah…" Muldoon thought of how he would relay this to Nedry. It was something that only he and Arnold spoke about together, privately. "We've discussed it a lot. How we wish we had asked you why you were doing what you were doing. Find out why you were upset with John, why you went the route you did. Maybe if we had spoken to you, instead of calling the police on you, things would've turned out different."

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda." Nedry grinned as he wagged his finger with his free hand. "It's a nice thought, but what's done is done."

Muldoon was familiar with Nedry's usual flippancy. Although he had hoped for a more receptive response, when he revealed that he and Arnold wished they could've done things differently—this was Nedry and sometimes he hid behind sarcasm, biting humor, and a who-gives-a-crap attitude. Muldoon also knew that if Nedry was appreciative, he wouldn't openly say so. Then Nedry surprised him.

"Thank you for saying that, but the sad truth is I wouldn't have listened to you or Ray. I was determined to do what I wanted and wouldn't have let either of you talk me out of it."

"That's fair," Muldoon said. He appreciated Nedry's honesty. Because Nedry could be brutally honest with him, Muldoon knew he could be the same way—especially with his next point. "The second thing is you have to forgive yourself for everything. I don't know what it will take." He stood up now. "For your own peace of mind, let go. Maybe in letting go, you can help Henry out of this mess."

Muldoon approached the door, ready to leave when he heard Nedry finally give in.

"I'll do it, but God help you and John if I don't walk out of there alive."

Muldoon's grim smile didn't reach his eyes when the correction officer opened the door, allowing Hammond, Malcolm, and Anderson to enter the conference/interrogation room. A short time later, Walker joined them.

oOo

Later that same day, Walker summoned Nedry to his office. Usually, he walked the grounds of the prison and interacted with inmates in the chow hall, the yard, the social worker's office, at the cell blocks, and their work assignments. Of course, Nedry wouldn't be by himself. Officer Johnson brought him in and remained in the room when Walker motioned for Nedry to sit down in the chair across from his desk.

"Hands where I can see them," Walker said, pointing at Nedry.

It was an unofficial rule in his prison: if an inmate's hands weren't cuffed, he wanted them visible at all times for safety reasons. He had made the decision earlier to have Nedry restrained when Hammond visited, after inwardly debating with himself before making that final decision. In the end, he decided that everyone else's safety was primary—especially given Nedry's behavior the last time. It had been over a year ago, but Walker never forgot how Nedry angrily approached Hammond, which was against the rules. After finding out about Hammond's hospitalization, he wasn't taking any chances.

This time around, he knew he was taking a chance so that he could observe Nedry's behavior in his office—would he be defiant? He got his answer right away: Nedry folded his hands on his lap—they had been behind his back when he first entered the office. Walker made a mental note of how quickly Nedry listened. Years ago, a request such as keeping his hands out in the open where they could be seen would've elicited a snide remark from Nedry. Are you gonna make me wear your silver bracelets? Nedry complied without making a cutting comment.

"I wanted to speak with you about John's offer. What do you think?"

Nedry shrugged. "It sounds ok."

Walker sat back in his chair, studying Nedry. He was surprised at how he presented as withdrawn: Nedry stared down at the floor, not making eye contact. Walker decided to go in a different direction, and then circle back around. "I spoke with him before he left."

"Oh...that's nice...I guess." Nedry shrugged.  He didn't know what to say and he didn't want to imagine how that conversation went.

"Whatever anger he felt towards you for that situation, he's let it go."

"You mean his stroke and hospitalization?"

Walker nodded.  "Yes, he said he forgives you. I'm sure it took a lot for him to get to that point."

"If the roles were reversed, and I was the one paraylzed; I would be angry the rest of my life," Nedry said as he looked around Walker's office, in an effort to try to avoid discussing the topic.

"But where does that get you?"

"I don't know...I betrayed him because I was angry at him...I never meant to harm him though."

"That was back then, but what about now?"  Walker watched Nedry carefully, noticing how he appeared to distract himself on purpose.  They needed to have this conversation though; it was an important part of Nedry's rehabilitation.  "Do you forgive him?"

"Maybe if I follow through on what he's asking, it shows that I do?" Nedry shrugged again, unsure if he was giving the right answer.

Walker found it interesting that Nedry would pose it as a question. It gave him the impression that Nedry wasn't sure what he felt towards Hammond now. In the past, he had been resentful towards him, but now it was different: Nedry was regretful that his actions had caused severe harm to Hammond. He had just said so. A more important question arose in his mind. To Walker, this came before Nedry forgiving Hammond for blackmailing him and almost ruining his career.

"Do you forgive yourself? And I'm not just talking about what happened to John, but in terms of your choices and how your life has gone in a different direction than you expected. No one grows up wanting or expecting to be incarcerated."

Nedry was quiet for some time before he answered. "I'm not sure where I stand in terms of forgiving myself. Robert told me to do that—forgive myself."

"He could only tell you that because he chose to let go of what you've done in the past. Robert Muldoon forgives you."

"He never told me he has."

"He doesn't need to tell you in words. His actions show it. Think about it: would he have advocated for you more than a year ago?"

Nedry shook his head vehemently. "Hell no."

"But he does now because he's let go of the past. For your sake, he wants you to do the same."

"I don't know why he would forgive me for everything I've done. Same with John, and he outright said he forgives me."

Walker had plenty of experience of working with crime victims before becoming a prison warden. Some, not all, were able to forgive the person who had wronged them, and even harmed them. That was one part of the equation. The other part was seeing an inmate forgive himself for his wrong choices and aspiring to being a better person than when they first entered the prison. It was a lengthy process for both the offended and offenders. For the victim, coming to a place of forgiveness, healing, and acceptance was a long dark road. The inmates he dealt with had a difficult road as well. They often struggled with poor self-esteem, shame, and depression. On that note, Hammond, Muldoon, and Nedry were no different than many of the people Walker had encountered during the span of his career.

"They did it so that they could move on. It's the same for you."

"It's hard to move on when the world sees you as just a convicted felon, a worthless criminal and nothing more—or worse, when you're locked up." Nedry gestured to Walker's office, but what he really meant was the prison.

"Not everyone sees you that way."

"Most do."

"Most isn't everyone. John Hammond and Robert Muldoon don't see you as a worthless criminal. Nor does Dr. Malcolm or even Detective Anderson. For what it's worth, I don't see you that way either."

"They see me as a tool to get Henry Wu to come back."

Walker waited before responding. He knew he needed to redirect him. There was truth to what Nedry said, but it was overshadowed in a negative light. Walker wanted to give him the truth as well, but in a positive light.

"They see someone who has made changes and became a better man—and who deserves a second chance."

That seemed to catch Nedry's attention as he looked up at Walker now.

"He mentioned something about sentence commutation."

"And that's the reason to consider John's offer. So that you don't have to return here or you if you do come back here, you serve less time. You can get out sooner and go on with your life. Having your sentence reduced can be a good starting point for you."

"No one's gonna hire me with my record."

"It'll be challenging, but there are re-entry programs on the outside to help you get on your feet. There will be someone who gives you a second chance."

Nedry didn't answer as he went back to staring at the floor.

"Just think about it and we can discuss when you've had more time to consider your options."

"It doesn't feel like I have many options, Mr. Walker," Nedry mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm looking at a life sentence, once I add all my previous time left to serve and new sentences for the other charges. Or I can go on a death mission to get information that I can easily write down in a statement. It's either face death head-on or spend a good chunk of my life behind bars—those are my 'options'."

"Try not to see it that way. It's about information gathering."

"It's about trying to convince my coworker to come to his senses. I've tried that before and he didn't listen."

"When was this?" Walker's tone was uncertain.

"When I was out there on the run, acting like an idiot. That was one of the few things I did right: try to make Henry Wu see that he's going down the wrong path. You'd think he'd listen after seeing me get locked up, beat up..." Nedry's voice trailed off.

"Sometimes people have to learn for themselves."

"Ain't that the truth."

"Let me make a suggestion to you, Mr. Nedry."

Nedry stifled a chuckle. He knew Walker meant it respectfully when he called him "Mr. Nedry", but for some reason, he found it humorous. "Sure thing, I'm listening."

"Make this be about you. Not in a selfish way in that you don't care about anyone else but put what you want for yourself first."

"I did that and look where it got me. Here. Wearing this." He picked at his prison uniform.

"Okay, let me be more specific. You want to rebuild your life, right?"

"Yeah, but that's not possible—"

"It is possible. You must envision it, even if it seems outside of your reach. You must picture yourself going to job interviews, having your own place, working in your field again. Maybe a different field of work. Don't picture yourself with the jumpsuit, the prison bars, or anything else you associate with incarceration. Try to imagine your life outside of these walls, walking free, making your own choices. Let that be your motivation for helping your co-worker."

Nedry thought about it. It wasn't a bad idea, but it was difficult for him to do, especially after what he experienced with Barney Fellows. He was afraid of constant rejection due to being a convicted felon, but he understood what Walker was imparting to him. He had to see himself beyond who he was now. Maybe envisioning himself as a free man, with the freedom to make his own choices again, and even starting again in his career and field would be a good motivator for him as Walker suggested. He was older and wiser now and not as angry and bitter as he was during his first incarceration. Walker's wisdom and earnest efforts to help him were appreciated this time.

"Thanks, Mr. Walker."

Walker gestured to Officer Johnson to bring Nedry back to his work assignment. "Keep up on the right path and you'll be ok."

oOo

One month later, Hammond, Malcolm, Muldoon, along with Anderson sat in the front row of Judge Hoskins' courtroom, right behind the defendant's table. They had returned to Isla Nublar after meeting with Anderson and Walker. During that month, Hammond prepared himself to return to California with Malcolm and Muldoon. Everyone on the island was updated with the current news. Grant, Ellie, and Arnold began the interviewing process of filling the three open positions. Before they returned to California, Hammond left Gennaro in charge of the daily tasks at Isla Nublar, while Lawala and Harding would handle any issues that arose with the dinosaurs.

All in all, Hammond felt he left Isla Nublar in capable and trustworthy hands. Even Tim and Lex volunteered to help. Now that were back in California, Muldoon planned to keep in touch with Arnold, Harding, and Lawala. Malcolm promised to contact Grant and Ellie regularly. Hammond would check in with his grandchildren and Gennaro about the progress of locating the three candidates. As for where they were presently: it went unspoken that whatever happened in court today would direct their next steps—and determine Nedry's path.

Nedry sat at the defendant's table guarded by a sheriff deputy on his right side, listening along with everyone. He wore the same clothing he had been captured in and looked around. Only the court reporter and the bailiff were present. No one else. Judge Hoskins had ordered that anyone who didn't need to be present to evacuate the courtroom before he was called in. Nedry figured the judge wanted utmost privacy for this hearing. He listened as Judge Hoskins finished reading Daniel Walker's written statement aloud to the court.

"…as written above, Mr. Nedry who has served time in my facility, has presented as accepting responsibility for his past actions. In the past month since he's been here, he has shown an earnest effort to turn his life around. He has been respectful towards the correction officers in charge of his care and cooperative when given new work assignments. However, he would serve better in a capacity in which he's guiding another employee who has gone down the wrong path. This also includes cooperating with the authorities to bring to justice the individual who initially hired him to betray his employment. My recommendation is to strongly consider Detective Corey Anderson's and Mr. John Hammond's proposal for a sentence commutation in his case. Signed, Daniel Walker, Prison Warden." Judge Hoskins finished reading and looked at the small group of people present in his courtroom. "Before I pass judgement, does anyone wish to make a statement?"

Hammond stood up. "I do."

Everyone was quiet as Hammond cleared his throat.

"For what it's worth…" He started slowly and looked at Nedry as he continued. "I want this on the official record: Dennis did not assault me. He did not shake me or push me to the ground. He's not responsible for the stroke I suffered from or my hospitalization. I had health issues prior to that day. That's all."

Nedry whipped around in his chair, squinting at Hammond like he had grown three dog heads and had twisted snakes for hair. What the hell are you doing?! He mouthed. Hammond met his baffled stare but said nothing. In his mind, there was nothing more to say except his truth—which he had just shared with the court. The sheriff deputy next to Nedry directed him to face forward.

"Thank you, Your Honor," Hammond said and sat back down again.

No one spoke.

Judge Hoskins studied Nedry who sat behind the defendant's table. He couldn't tell if Nedry was relieved or reluctant from what Hammond had shared and the current proceedings. Hammond appeared hopeful; he was the only one smiling. Judge Hoskins was glad he had spoken up. Malcolm and Muldoon kept whispering to each other, their expressions serious. Anderson was neutral; out of everyone there, he had the least amount at stake. The time had come, and he decided how he would rule based on everything he had read, heard, and observed thus far.

"The actions you took to make amends to your employer have factored into my ruling, as well as the dangerous nature of what you're about to take part in. As of today, you will be in the custody of Detective Corey Anderson. Your work will determine if your current charges will be dismissed. I will also review your current prison sentence and consider commutation based on the outcome of your efforts, your cooperation, and your testimony." Judge Hoskins waited and allowed that information to sink in. He had deliberately omitted any obvious mention of Nedry being a confidential informant. Then he continued. "Should you fail to fulfill your expected responsibilities, you will serve out the remainder of your initial sentence and also be sentenced for the most recent charges." He turned to Anderson. "Do you have the papers?"

Anderson nodded and Judge Hoskins permitted him to enter the area where Nedry sat. The sheriff deputy sitting at the defense table unlocked the cuffs so that he could sign the forms. Nedry hesitated for several seconds. Anderson was going to ask if he was still willing to go through with the agreement, when Nedry picked up the pen and signed the papers. The entire time, his hand trembled. When he finished, Anderson gave a copy to Judge Hoskins who reviewed them. It didn't take long. Judge Hoskins stacked the papers and placed them in a file. He spoke directly to Nedry who sat behind the table, looking sullen, his eyes downcast.

"You're free to go. Godspeed."

oOo

The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky when they exited the courthouse. Hammond interpreted the pleasant warm weather as a good omen. He hurried down the steps with Anderson. Muldoon and Malcolm trailed behind with Nedry walking between them, freed from the law enforcement officials he had entered the courtroom with, and freed from the restraints. Malcolm and Muldoon noticed Nedry was strangely quiet. He had greeted them earlier when they had first left the courtroom. From there, he had very little to say. They made it to the bottom of the steps where Anderson and Hammond waited.

"I'm so glad you're back with us, Dennis. We'll take you out for lunch before we start everything," Hammond said, excitedly.

"Thanks, but I'm not really hungry…" Nedry's voice trailed off as he avoided eye contact with everyone.

While Anderson and Hammond discussed the next steps of their plan, Malcolm and Muldoon brought Nedry aside to speak with him privately.

"What's going on?" Malcolm asked. "You look upset." He had sensed Nedry's trepidation during the entire hearing. There was nothing in Nedry's demeanor that showed he was relieved to be out there with them.

"Judge Hoskins is wrong. I'm not free at all; I'm in Detective Anderson's custody. He talked out of both sides of his mouth."

"It's temporary. Once this whole thing is over—"

"This is all conditional, isn't it?"

"It's not. Even if Henry decides to remain with Biosyn, that won't reflect badly on you—uh, it shouldn't. They're more focused on you getting dirt from Dodgson and his group, straight from the horse's mouth—they want you to talk, so that you get them to talk."

Nedry shook his head as though he disagreed. Malcolm noticed but continued to press forward.

"The goal is to get enough information to get them locked up for a long time. So that they can't interfere with InGen anymore. Their sabotaging efforts will be shut down if they're put away."

"That's not what John wants. It's all about getting Henry to do an about-face."

Malcolm was about to respond and then Muldoon intervened. Let me try, he mouthed to Malcolm who nodded in agreement. If there was one person who could get through to Nedry, it was Muldoon, given their complicated history. Ironically enough, Muldoon had the most success when convincing Nedry to accept what Malcolm called "a very loose plea deal with no prosecutor or attorney involvement".

"Don't hold back—you never do." Muldoon urged him to speak his mind. It was better for Nedry to be honest than to hide.

At first, they thought Nedry wasn't going to speak any further, when his questions erupted.

"What happens if I fail? Do I go to prison for the rest of my life? Isn't that what Judge Hoskins said?" He shoved his trembling hands in his pockets—he didn't want them to see outward signs of his fear. "I mean, that's the best thing that can happen. The worst…"

Malcolm and Muldoon exchanged a worried look: Judge Hoskins hadn't addressed that.

"The worst is what?" Muldoon asked.

Nedry recoiled in disbelief. How could Muldoon not know after what he had told him in the prison? Was he even listening to me? The question was on the verge of spewing out, but Nedry held back. He refused to voice what he was thinking and feeling.

"Damned if I do, damned if I don't," he muttered.

When no one answered, Nedry took their silence to mean confirmation that he would indeed face life imprisonment or a very lengthy sentence if he wasn't able to get the information needed to put Dodgson and his gang away for good. Or if Wu refused to return to InGen. That was the better ending. The worse ending…Nedry tried not to think about it, although he kept having images of himself lying in a casket. It was dark and dismal, but it was a real possibility. It bothered him that no matter how much he made it clear that he risked death as a confidential informant, no one took him seriously. No one cared. Not even Muldoon.

Contrary to what Nedry believed, Muldoon sensed he needed reassurance. "It will work out and you'll get the clean slate you want; you'll get your life and career back on track. What you're about to do takes bloody nerve."

"Then why don't I feel bloody good about it?" Why is everyone acting like I'm doing a noble good deed?! Nedry wanted to shout at them, but it would only turn everyone away. And right now, he didn't need to feel lonelier than he already felt.

"Because it's the calm before the storm," Malcolm said. "The storm will pass, and your life will get better."

"What life? You make it sound like everything will be sunshine and rainbows and that's after I go through a storm that's a tornado and hurricane combined."

Malcolm tried to approach it from a different angle. "John spoke up for you back there because he wants you to be free."

"I don't know what he was thinking. It won't change anything."

"It's—" Malcolm stopped when he saw Muldoon shaking his head.

Muldoon realized Nedry couldn't take in anything positive about his situation because his fear overwhelmed him, blocking out any hope for his future.

Nedry didn't see their exchange. He stared at the courthouse for some time before turning to them. "You don't get it…none of you do…" He sighed as he tried to come to grips with what lay ahead. "I just signed my own death warrant."

 

 

"A traitor is the loneliest of all men. He has no friends, only enemies."- Roland Tembo

oOo

" What do you mean you didn't get him?! He was right there in front of all of you and you just let him run through the backdoor of a fucking sports bar?!"

Henry Wu studied the conference room table while Lewis Dodgson escalated his furious rant. Naturally, the meeting started with him calmly asking what happened hours ago at the sports bar. It didn't take long for his temper to manifest itself. Wu didn't dare make eye contact with the rest of the team. He had a feeling that Sonya Durant, Raúl Lopez, and Roland Tembo were kicking themselves for not snatching Dennis Nedry when they had the opportunity. At the time, they had enjoyed watching the police apprehend Nedry and believed Dodgson would be thrilled with this outcome. Nedry would be sent back to prison for a much longer time. He would be locked up and out of their hair.

Dodgson had the opposite reaction.

" That was rehearsal for you guys! I have bigger plans than catching that hacker, but he's your rehearsal for the real thing! Grab one jackass, throw him in a van, tie him up so he can't escape or injure anyone, and bring him here. Why was that so hard to accomplish?"

Dodgson slammed his clenched fists on the table in an identical manner to how John Hammond first reacted when finding out Wu's betrayal. Out of the corner of his eye, Wu saw Sonya flinch. Dodgson circled the conference room now, getting in everyone's faces. He started with Lopez who backed off the table when Dodgson closed in on him.

" Can any of you tell me why that was such a difficult task? Did Dennis make it hard for you? Answer me, Raúl."

" Yes, Dr. Dodgson?"

" Why was it so hard to seize him? There were four of you and one of him—two of you are trained mercenaries!"

" Lew, it's not—" Sonya tried, and immediately stopped when Dodgson made a chopping motion in the air.

" I don't want to hear your bullshit excuses, Sonya!"

" But Lew—you should've seen it! It was—"

" Shut the hell up! He should've been caught by everyone here—not fucking cops!"

He turned back to Lopez, completely missing Sonya's mortified expression. Her jaw had dropped in shock, and just as quickly, she looked away, not making eye contact with anyone. Dodgson was completely focused on Lopez.

" You hate that hacker's guts more than anyone in this room. If anyone should've forced him back here against his will, it should've been you."

Lopez nodded quickly. "You're right, I should've got him then. I'll make sure I get him next time."

Wu cringed when he watched their exchange from across the table. Why did Lopez give that lousy answer? It only made Dodgson angrier. Wu was tempted to shake his head, but he made sure to keep still and not reveal any emotions through his facial expressions or body language. Dodgson would spot it right away and badger him next if he wasn't careful.

" Next time?! What the hell is this 'next time' garbage?!" Dodgson upturned a chair next to Lopez, barely missing Sonya. "And what if there's no next time?!"

" There will be, I'm sure of it."

Lopez sat upright, trying to maintain his composure. Wu knew it was hard to remain calm, especially when Dodgson's temper erupted like a volcano.

" I have a solution to the Nedry problem."

Dodgson spun around and approached Tembo as he was the only one who made it clear he had a concrete plan to capture Nedry.

" We set him up. He'll never see it coming."

" How do you plan to do it? I want fucking details, Roland—not empty promises."

Wu watched as Tembo held his own, not the least bit intimidated by Dodgson's raging tirade—unlike Lopez who cowered away.

" Let's start with what Dr. Grant says."

" I don't give a shit about what Dr. Grant says! What the hell does he have to do with that scumbag traitorous hacker?!" An empty glass vase sat on the conference table. Dodgson snatched it and threw it at the wall. The vase shattered to pieces. Thankfully, no one was sitting near the wall where Dodgson had flung it. "I'm not hearing a word of what that lovesick paleontologist thinks about standing still in front of the T-Rex!"

Tembo continued, regardless of Dodgson's angry reaction. "Dr. Grant says velociraptors attack not from the front, but from the side."

Lopez looked like he was about to respond to what Tembo was suggesting, but Tembo shook his head, indicating he should stay out of it. Lopez wanted to offer his expertise as a paleontologist, but now was not the time. Tembo knew where he was going and didn't want interruptions.

" Dr. Grant understands that velociraptors are pack hunters; they have coordinated attack patterns."

Dodgson had been pacing back and forth in the conference room now. He stopped abruptly and slammed a clenched right fist against the wall. "Get to the fucking point."

Slowly, Tembo listed the plan step by step. "If he ever gets out and we find him first, we remind him that you want to speak with him. Or maybe he'll reach out to you first."

" And why would he do that?"

" Because he knows you want to hear from him. Dennis loves to have the last word. We simply use that against him."

Dodgson didn't look convinced, but he urged Tembo to continue. "Go on."

" Set up a date and time. One of us talks to him, providing a distraction. The other sneaks up behind him and knocks him out with a sleeping agent: ether or chloroform. From there, we grab him."

" That's a great start, but he better be tied up right after!"

" That much is obvious."

Dodgson pointed across the conference room at Tembo. "It's not because last time he got away—after breaking George's arm and bashing Howard's kneecap—because you failed to restrain him."

Tembo became quiet as he remembered the failed hit on Nedry. What should've been an easy assignment turned into an embarrassing failure. He could feel everyone staring at him as Dodgson continued his angry tirade. And he knew there was no point in bringing up the fact that although Nedry's hands had been tied that night, he had still managed to free himself. Tembo had never found out how he got loose as that night because more pressing matters immediately followed: Nedry had left King with a bashed kneecap and wasted no time breaking Baselton's arm. He had let Eric Kirby go without a scratch, and he didn't harm Tembo as severely as King and Baselton (Nedry had pistol-whipped him), but that didn't soften Tembo's hatred towards him. In fact, it made Tembo hate Nedry even more.

" I'm not having a second round of Dennis escaping after injuring my staff! I don't want him doing a fucking thing except sitting there and being scared shitless for what's in store for him."

" We won't give him an inch of leeway to do what he did last time." Tembo said, regaining his confidence and refusing to kowtow to Dodgson's temper tantrum. He also conveniently left out the fact that he, George Baselton, and Eric Kirby had gone out for drinks after capturing Nedry while Howard King had been left behind to keep watch. King was a weakling in Tembo's view, but that was beside the point. "This plan will be foolproof. We will deliver him to you, unable to lift a finger to protect himself or attack us. He will be completely at our mercy."

" What about the risk of him injuring any of you?" Dodgson's question shocked everyone, although they didn't let on that they were surprised he showed an inkling of concern for their well-being. It was also repetitive, but that didn't matter.

" The only one who will have a broken arm or a busted kneecap if he doesn't cooperate will be Dennis—and I'll make sure he's aware of that fact," Tembo said, locking eyes with Dodgson to show him he was serious. "We'll drag him back to the man he so ruthlessly betrayed. Because to be honest with you, Dr. Dodgson, he never really paid for what he did."

Wu folded his arms across his chest as he listened to Tembo. Tembo's speech patterns were always dignified and refined, but also heartless and cold. The methodical way he described how he would abduct Nedry caused Wu to break out in heart palpitations as though he were the one being kidnapped. It was also surreal since he had joined Dodgson to clone more dinosaurs and do whatever he could to have a taste of fame. But here he was, sitting in a dark conference room, planning to abduct his former InGen coworker. He also severely disagreed when Tembo stated Nedry had never paid for what he had done against Dodgson. Wu was about to mention that night in the jail cell when the team destroyed him—physically and emotionally—but then he remembered Tembo wasn't there. He had chosen to stay on Isla Nublar and guard the InGen staff. Nedry had been broken by the end of that night, and even now, after all this time, Wu still felt pangs of guilt for his participation—and it forced him to speak up.

" You're proposing taking him down in a manner that will attract attention."

Tembo sent him a scathing glance. "No, I'm proposing we hunt him down."

" Like an animal." Wu didn't hide his disgust. "That you can kill, so that you can mount his head in your trophy room."

" Absolutely not! His very presence would disgrace where I celebrate my success." Tembo grimaced. "I would never stoop as low, Henry. Aside from that, I don't want that image stuck in my head, it makes me want to retch."

Sonya chuckled at this. Wu ignored her and continued to challenge Tembo.

" And yet, your method—"

" My 'method' would instill terror in that selfish traitor."

Lopez eagerly nodded with approval. "I second that. Make that son of a bitch piss his pants!"

" So, this is all about scaring the daylights out of Dennis?" Wu asked.

Tembo applauded. "You really are quite brilliant—unlike that whiny con you defend."

Wu visibly recoiled, offended by the accusation. "I'm not defending him."

" Really? Then share with all of us," Tembo said, gesturing to everyone who sat around the conference table, "your 'method' of how you would bring him back here. Keep in mind how difficult and resistant he is. Perhaps you two can have dinner by candlelight."

Everyone broke into peals of laughter—including Dodgson. He was the most entertained by Tembo's and Wu's quarrel.

Wu was the only one not laughing. "Jab a syringe in his arm. Knock him out. One and done, simple and sweet."

" Where's the fun in that? Watching that devious bastard go down easy is insulting after what he did to all of us. No, he needs to fight for his life knowing he will end up losing—and not knowing what's in store for him."

" Damn, I love the way your mind works." Lopez sounded mesmerized. He was in awe of Tembo's vicious approach.

Wu was the opposite: he found it repulsive—and wasn't afraid to say so. "That's disgusting. You can take him down in a way that doesn't terrorize him."

" Therein lies the difference between you and I. You take a boring and merciful approach." Tembo gestured at Wu like he was an annoying insect who wouldn't go away, and then he put his hand on his chest proudly. "And I take a more imaginative and aggressive approach."

" I don't know how luring a man, hunting him down, and ultimately kidnapping him is 'imaginative', but intelligence was never one of your high points, Roland. I'll give you credit though for owning your aggression."

The conference room fell into an eerie silence at Wu's words. Tembo glared across the table at Wu who met him head on, locking eyes with him. He refused to be intimidated—or give his approval for such a monstrous plan. The most difficult part? Knowing he had no choice but to participate in it—regardless of his feelings on the matter.

Wu had already learned that there was no "let me get back to you on that, Dr. Dodgson" or "no, Lew, I'm not interested in joining in". It was more like, "yes, master, your wish is my command"—of course, not in those exact words. There were no other options. Well, there was, but Wu wasn't ready to face a premature death at Dodgson's hands—or Tembo's. Knowing that Dodgson had already sent Tembo to (unsuccessfully) murder Nedry, Wu knew he'd be in the line of fire if he bucked against him. Better to play along and make it work for him, so that he could get out alive when the right time revealed itself. Survival at all costs…even if it meant abducting his former coworker.

The argument was over for now. Wu listened as Tembo gave his rationale. The entire time Tembo looked directly at him, although he was speaking to Dodgson.

" Dennis is forever scheming, he's a pathetic traitor as we all know. He shows no loyalty to anyone except himself. He does not deserve the opportunity to peacefully surrender himself or to be knocked out so that he feels no pain or fear. Every ounce of terror he feels is just punishment for what he did to all of us sitting around this table, especially Dr. Dodgson." Tembo now appealed to him. "Dr. Dodgson, you gave him a second chance and he squandered it. That's what this is about. We got sidetracked with Henry's solo pity parade for Dennis, so let's focus on what this is about: making sure that bastard pays for giving InGen a helping hand. Doing so led to our defeat."

" I couldn't agree more, Roland," Lopez said.

He had been nodding in agreement the entire time Tembo spoke. Wu thought he resembled a bobblehead.

" I knew you would."

" Great minds think alike." Lopez grinned, glad that he and Tembo—as always—were on the same page.

Wu scoffed. He ignored Sonya's burning stare.

Lopez and Tembo looked in Wu's direction, but this time Wu avoided them by keeping his focus on the window. He imagined jumping out, running away, and never looking back. Dodgson's epiphany distracted him.

" He did so much bullshit after I gave him a second chance," Dodgson whispered. "And you're right: he never paid at all. This time will be different."

Wu inwardly groaned. He thought Tembo and Dodgson were referring to Nedry's first betrayal—when he had tried to warn InGen of Biosyn's plan to take control of Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park. Now Wu realized they meant his second betrayal after he pretended to realign himself with Biosyn again. That included purposely shutting off the paddock's fences for the T-Rex enclosure, which effectively drove Bill Steingarten and Jeff Rossiter off the island. This was after they had been planning to approve Jurassic Park for their inspection.

Nedry's betrayal caused Dodgson a series of losses. Loss of control of the InGen staff. He lost the opportunity to secure Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park. It all culminated in losing his actual standing with Biosyn. Dodgson received Nedry's last laugh in the form of the corrupted laptop. Instead of downloading InGen's research as had been demanded of him, Nedry installed a virus that ruined the laptop and quickly spread to Biosyn's computer network, effectively shutting them down. Dodgson and everyone in his team were kicked out of Biosyn for good.

In Wu's eyes, Nedry backstabbing Dodgson was worse than his betrayal of Hammond—and that was saying a lot, given how atrocious his initial betrayal was. Especially given the after-effects with Hammond laid up in the hospital for months, recovering from a stroke, while still being unable to open Jurassic Park to the world. As far as Wu knew, Hammond had recovered and returned to the island, although it took months of intense therapy for him to be ready to return to his life again. He might even have a chance to open Jurassic Park in the future. In short, Hammond was able to return to a somewhat normal life, whereas Dodgson was still picking up the pieces from his broken ambitions to run Jurassic Park, own the island, and completely obliterate InGen. All so that he could climb the corporate ladder at Biosyn. Dodgson was still trying to obtain good favor from the higher-ups at Biosyn. It didn't make sense to Wu because they were no longer under them. But no one said that to Dodgson—if he believed he was still part of the Biosyn Corporation, then let him believe his delusion.

" When you make him pay, make sure it will always haunt him—that is, if you don't plan on killing him," Tembo suggested. "Killing his psyche is far worse than killing him physically. Much like what you did that night at the jail, but he recovered from that. You need to do something so horrendous that he's forced to face it every single day for the rest of his life."

Wu noticed Dodgson's temper lost its fire. He was more relaxed and quieter now. Even his agitated pacing and racing around the conference room had slowed down so that he walked around in a calm manner. Wu realized Tembo deescalated him by steering him in the direction of planning his revenge against Nedry.

" I'm not gonna kill him. That would be too easy and merciful. Dennis doesn't deserve either." Dodgson paused as he thought about it. "I have ideas though…thank you for your wisdom, Roland."

Tembo gave a stiff nod in acknowledgment. Wu was amazed at how Tembo remained loyal to Dodgson, although Dodgson never showed him half of the same loyalty in return. That's what Wu took away from this recent exchange. Every connection Dodgson had was one-sided. They gave and he always took…while never giving back in return.

" And whatever I do to him, will be more than ten times worse for InGen."

" What do you have planned for InGen?" Tembo asked.

Dodgson simply grinned. "I have ideas…" He didn't elaborate further.

A beat of silence passed.

" I could drive the getaway car," Sonya offered, as though Tembo had already developed a solid plan and needed to fulfill this one vital role. She figured it was better to continue the conversation, rather than to allow for the silence to lengthen. "One of us should always remain in the driver's seat, so that once we get him, we drive off."

" Excellent, Sonya." Dodgson nodded approvingly. "Great thinking on your part."

That was another thing Wu noticed: Dodgson could idealize and devalue someone—all within the span of ten minutes. He would praise you one moment, and the next, he was demeaning you. Or sometimes, it was the reverse with him devaluing first and then idealizing.

Dodgson had one more question and it came in the form of one word: "When?"

At this, no one could answer his question. Dodgson eyed each of them. His hard stare landed on Wu now.

" When, Henry?"

Wu had stared back at him, thrown off by the question. He had no idea when Nedry would show up again since he had been recently captured. The bigger question was if he would ever be released. He doubted Dodgson planned to break him out of prison again. Still, he had to answer Dodgson's question. Be it wrong, right, or made-up, he needed to put an idea out there for Dodgson to grasp onto. It didn't matter if that idea changed—he needed something to go on. After today, Wu knew the answer wasn't "next time" as Lopez had so poorly answered.

" When we see him again. Maybe if he gets a plea deal."

" You actually think that will happen?"

" Anything's possible." Wu didn't think it was possible, but he made sure not to skip a beat. He honestly felt that Nedry was gearing up for a longer prison sentence. He couldn't picture him walking the streets again, and if he did, it would be miraculous. Surprisingly enough, Dodgson appeared satisfied with his response.

" Excellent. I want all of you to watch the news carefully to see if anything else comes up about Dennis. Howard and George will be doing the same thing because I'm giving them the same exact directive. The first day he's out there, we're snatching him up. No ifs, ands, or buts. Do you fucking understand? Have I made myself clear?!"

Everyone nodded.

" Good."

Without another word or expletive, Dodgson calmly left the conference room to the wonderment of everyone who had witnessed his horrendous lashing out.

oOo

The memory of Dodgson's furious demands (and Tembo's proposed "solution" to the "Nedry problem") reverberated in Wu's mind a month later as he got in his car to take a quick drive. He didn't speak about it with anyone on the team, although he figured they discussed it amongst themselves. Tembo's vivid plan to abduct Nedry on Dodgson's orders and the detached manner in how he spoke about it frightened Wu. What was even worse was how Dodgson always spoke about Nedry as though he was a possession he owned and not a human being. On that note, did Dodgson view him the same way: as an object or thing that needed to be seized, held against his will, and controlled?

There were the other questions on constant repeat: who did Dodgson have in mind to be the actual kidnap victims? This always stayed with Wu. If Nedry was the "rehearsal", then who was considered the actual "recital"? Who did he plan to hold for ransom? What was the ransom? Why was Dodgson crossing into kidnapping/abduction territory again? What did he hope to gain from such a twisted scheme? The questions went on and on with no answers in sight.

It was during these strange times that Wu had to get away to preserve his sanity. Just step away from the entire team, even if it meant going to a nearby diner to sit by himself. Of course, he knew he'd have to return later in the day. And that's what Wu found himself doing as he got out of his car and went inside the diner. A brief respite from all the craziness that was Lewis Dodgson, Biosyn, and the toxic team he was with now…

While waiting for the host to sit him at a booth, his eye caught a newspaper on one of the empty tables. A customer must've left it there. He took it and brought it back to the booth where the host sat him after placing a menu on the table. Wu ignored the menu and focused his entire attention on the newspaper. Just then the waitress returned to take his order.

"Coffee, half-and-half, with two sugars, please."

"Anything else?

Wu thought quickly. "A blueberry muffin."

"I'll bring it right out."

He paid no attention as she walked away. He was more curious than he was hungry as he scanned the newspaper's headlines. Dennis Makes a Deal?! Wu's eyes widened when he recognized Nedry in an orange jail jumpsuit standing between two sheriff's deputies in a courtroom. Two more sheriff's deputies stood nearby. He also recognized John Hammond, Robert Muldoon, Ian Malcolm, and the police officer who arrested Nedry. Wu didn't know his name. Both pictures were side by side on the newspaper's front page. From the way it sounded though, it was more like a tabloid—more sensationalism than actual current events, or probably greatly exaggerated.

"Famous again," Wu said, chuckling. "Or infamous."

The waitress returned with his coffee and blueberry muffin. He muttered a quick "thank you" and opened the paper, eager to read the article. After briefly scanning it, he realized it only stated the charges Nedry was facing and the possibility of being given a life sentence for numerous charges. Nothing about any plea deals or plea bargains. What happened after his arraignment? Didn't he go back to court for sentencing? Wu had no idea how the criminal justice system worked.

"What's that you're reading, Henry?"

Wu looked up in time to see Tembo and Lopez slide into the booth across from him. He snatched the newspaper off the table and put it next to him where they couldn't see it.

"Do you come here often?" Lopez asked.

"Sometimes." Wu shrugged. "Or maybe it's more accurate to say, 'not often enough'."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a soft spot for that hacker," Tembo said.

Wu's eyebrows furrowed together. "Where'd you get that idea?"

Tembo studied him for a few seconds before responding. "Just a hunch."

Wu folded the newspaper. Tembo must've seen him reading it.

Tembo didn't say anything for several seconds and neither did Wu. An unspoken tension had always existed between them. Wu knew it and so did Tembo. They weren't overly aggressive about their shared hostility like Lopez and Nedry. It came more from quiet glares, snide comments here and there—such as Tembo suggesting that Wu had a "soft spot" for Nedry. Wu knew Tembo didn't mean it in a romantic way, but more in that Wu felt empathy and understanding for Nedry being that they were both from InGen. Still, the fact that Tembo would voice what he did indicated to Wu that there was a lack of trust and respect between them. Wu had a feeling that would never change, and he accepted it as it was—especially since he knew he didn't respect or trust Tembo either.

"Dr. Dodgson wants to see you in his office when you return," Lopez said, changing the subject. "He'd like it to be a private discussion—just you and him."

"I'll get there when I get there."

Wu didn't care that his tone sounded cold. The entire situation was awkward. He wanted ten minutes by himself, so that he could think without any distractions. He could've escaped to his office on the fourth floor, but he was still in the same environment where everyone else was.

Suddenly, it hit him—Dodgson was keeping tabs on him. There was no escaping Dodgson—not in his mind or his life...

Lopez and Tembo had followed him here…and if they could follow him to a diner a mile away, then what would happen if Wu tried to actually leave the group? They would hunt him down and kill him. Or drag him back Dodgson. Wu was sure of it. More than ever, Wu wanted to leave it all behind. Forget fame, forget recognition, forget Lewis Dodgson, forget Biosyn… If he found another job in genetics, he hoped to have sane and mentally healthy co-workers.

Not co-workers who functioned as stalkers or spies for their boss.

It was time to go.

Wu stood up, leaving the coffee and blueberry muffin untouched. "Thanks, I'll head back right now to find out what he wants."

Before Tembo could respond or Lopez could protest, Wu grabbed the newspaper, and left the booth without looking back. As he neared the entrance of the diner, he pulled out a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet and gave it to the cashier at the front.

"Keep the change."

oOo

Wu knocked on the door to Dodgson's office. Dodgson looked up from his desk and gestured for him to come inside and take a seat. Wu did so and shut the door behind him. Dodgson folded his hands on his desk and sat up straight, to indicate Wu had his undivided attention.

"Raúl mentioned you want to speak with me."

Wu had left the newspaper in his office. He had stashed it away and then came back down to see Dodgson. Before doing so, he had debated if he should bring it down with him because if Dodgson found out about it later, he'd never hear the end of it. On a whim, he decided to risk not showing Dodgson the newspaper. Maybe later…

Dodgson flashed a wide smile—that charming smile that Wu was all too familiar with. "I do. You haven't been yourself lately."

Wu wasn't sure what to say. He shrugged, nonchalant. "I don't know what you mean."

"Bullshit." That charming smile didn't crack.

"What am I doing here, Lew—Dr. Dodgson?"

Dodgson blinked. "Come again?"

Wu had an inkling that Dodgson was mocking him, but he pressed forward anyway. "I mean exactly what I asked: what am I doing here? I'm not doing anything."

"You leased this office. Given our recent expulsion from Cupertino, I'd say that's a hell of a lot."

"I'm not talking about an office building." Wu tried to tone down his anger, but it was seeping through.

"You mean as far as your research, genetics, cloning dinosaurs, and tinkering with DNA?"

"Yes." Wu folded his arms across his chest, trying to remain calm. He doubted it was working. This conversation was extremely uncomfortable, and he worried about how Dodgson would perceive him going forward. "I'm not doing anything that you hired me to do. I'm just—just here." He gestured at Dodgson's office that was bland and half empty. Then he glanced at the wall again when a newspaper clipping caught his eye. The newspaper cover page with Nedry's booking photo, articles about InGen, John Hammond, and Biosyn were scattered all over the wall.

"Well…we know why the reason for that is. Of course, I want you to continue to do your research, and at some point, when we're able to access InGen technology again—"

"How?! How would that be possible given where we're at? There are no genetic labs. There's nothing for me here."

"That's why I said 'when', Henry, and not 'if'."

Dodgson did his best to imitate empathy. The truth was he couldn't care less about Wu's frustration, but he also knew he couldn't afford to lose him. It was bad enough that Nedry turned traitor, but when Dodgson and his group got kicked off the island—and then forcefully removed from the Cupertino office—both actions severed any chance of them ever cloning their own dinosaurs. It occurred to Dodgson that perhaps he should placate Wu by having go to InGen's headquarters in Palo Alto. He could have him spy on what was currently going on with InGen, but then he realized two things: Wu might do what Nedry did last time and attempt to escape when given an assignment related to InGen. Or worse yet, someone in InGen would recognize Wu and find a way to detain him there. Dodgson's jaw tightened with determination. He refused to take any chances.

"Hank…Henry…let me say this. I understand your frustration and your anger is valid. At times like this though, I tend to rethink everything and consider which obstacles are standing in your way."

Wu almost blurted out "you", but he forced himself to remain quiet while Dodgson spoke to him calmly. This version of Dodgson was completely different from the raving lunatic he was a month ago. That version was furious that his team couldn't bring down one man. Right now, Wu pictured Dodgson wearing a pleasant mask that was courteous, kind and concerned, along with that charming smile. Then he imagined him removing that mask only for him to see the raging, vicious, and cruel man underneath, accompanied by a hideous sneer. Wu realized this latter version was the true Lewis Dodgson. It was difficult for Wu to reconcile the two vastly different personas as being one and the same person. The same Lewis Dodgson would do anything to make Nedry and InGen pay for making him fail—this was the Lewis Dodgson who could persuade him into believing there was still a chance for him to become famous one day and that he would be there by Wu's side making it happen.

"I also think of how I want to eliminate those obstacles. In this case, the reason why we have no access to any labs, to your research, to any genetic material…this is all due to Dennis' sabotage."

Wu clenched his fists. For once, he wanted Nedry to not be blamed for Dodgson's failures. But wishing for that made no sense because it was the stark truth: Nedry had made Dodgson fail in front of Biosyn's higher-ups during the park inspection. The failed park inspection eventually had a domino effect as Dodgson lost his grasp on InGen immediately after.

"So right now, my focus is on eliminating Dennis as he's been an obstacle for you for quite some time. Sure, I'd love to clone dinosaurs, tinker with DNA, and see what we can create together—and I have no doubt we'd make even better creations than what you've already made for John Hammond—" He flashed that charming smile again. "But I have no access to Biosyn's or InGen's labs or genetic material right now. I have limited funds. I have nothing to go on except this building that you purchased, which is a terrific start—and I have you—" Dodgson gestured to Wu as though he was an expensive treasure to show off, a rare exhibit on display. "The Miracle Worker of Jurassic Park. A much better acquisition than Dennis ever was."

Wu let his silence speak for him. At one time, he had swelled with pride when Hammond and Dodgson referred to him as "The Miracle Worker of Jurassic Park". Now it sounded over-the-top. As for being referred to as an "acquisition", Wu was thoroughly disgusted. He was a human being—not a possession.

"Once I deal with Dennis, I'll address InGen. Once I address InGen, we'll be back on track again."

The calmer and more self-assured Dodgson sounded, the angrier Wu became. Everything was always about Nedry and InGen. That was Dodgson's focus. Wu admitted to himself that Dodgson was right, but still—he didn't align himself with the corporate enemy just to completely zero in on his former disgruntled co-worker. Wu could've been angry at Nedry; he sensed that was the direction Dodgson was trying to push him in. The truth was Wu had been furious with Nedry in the past. Every time he acted aggressively against him—participating in the gang beatdown, punching Nedry in the face when Contreras had arrested him, taunting him for being a convicted felon—this was Wu's rage on full display at Nedry for ruining his chances to enjoy worldwide recognition. Wu had been sympathetic with Nedry when he had first been sentenced, but when more than a year passed after his sentencing, and Hammond made no move to open Jurassic Park, Wu's open compassion morphed into quiet fury. Dodgson seemed to read his mind.

"I understand that you're angry and you have every right to be. My suggestion is to hone your anger in the right direction, or rather, on the appropriate person. It's not me you're angry at. It's Dennis. Time and time again, he's destroyed your dreams. He's a dream-killer. He killed Hammond's dreams of opening Jurassic Park, he murdered my aspirations to eliminate InGen so that Biosyn would be number one in genetic technology, and then there's you." Dodgson motioned to Wu who sat in front of him.

"Me?"

"He slaughtered your dreams, Henry. Obliterated them beyond recognition. You want to be known all over the world, and Dennis screwed that up royally."

These words had once worked on Wu before, but not anymore…

Wu felt he should be angry at Dodgson for his false promises of fame, but the truth was he was angrier at himself. He had allowed himself to fall short of his own ideals and values because at the time receiving recognition was far more important. Now all he wanted to do was leave Biosyn. Even though they weren't in the building in Cupertino anymore, Wu still associated Dodgson with Biosyn. Regardless of the location, there was nothing for him here. He couldn't create, research, or clone. At InGen, not only did he have access to his "miracles", but he also had a good group of co-workers. Arnold, Muldoon, and Harding wouldn't spy on him. His boss was eccentric and sometimes one-track minded—but Hammond wouldn't throw him to the wolves for failing to successfully kidnap his coworker. And Hammond would never suggest abducting Nedry regardless of their troubled employer/employee relationship. Speaking of kidnapping…

"You're gonna be part of that assignment whenever the timing aligns with our plans."

"Which assignment?" Wu played dumb for the moment.

"The one where you invite Dennis to come over here to our office, so that I can have a one-to-one talk with him."

"About what?"

"You already know the answer, Henry." Dodgson's tone was sharp.

Wu's eyebrows furrowed before he had a chance to remind himself not to show any outward resistance to anything Dodgson said. "It sounds more like a kidnapping."

Once again, Dodgson flashed his famous charming smile. "It only sounds that way because Dennis is—well, you know how he is. I don't have to tell you."

There was no way that Dodgson wanted to have a sit-down friendly conversation with Nedry after everything he had done. No amount of prettifying the obvious fooled Wu into believing otherwise. And he had no idea what Dodgson had planned. He had an inkling that Dodgson didn't know either, but that eventually, he would know what he wanted to do.

"Roland uses very—" Dodgson tilted his head in thought as he searched for the right word. "Creative methods. It's why he's under my employment. He knows what it will take to convince Dennis to return here. This way, I can speak with him about the laptop."

Wu frowned at mention of "creative". It reminded him of when Tembo identified himself as "imaginative". Tembo and Dodgson loved using positive sounding words in place of other words that were far more accurate: aggressive, violent, horrific…

"The laptop?"

"The one where he was supposed to download all InGen's information." Dodgson eyed Wu warily. "Are you feeling alright?"

Wu offered a lukewarm smile. "I'm feeling fine."

Dodgson nodded, but his cold stare never left Wu.

Wu forced himself to remain seated and not turn to look at the door behind him. He wanted to run out of the room to get away from Dodgson. The more truthful he confronted Dodgson; the more Dodgson minimized what he was planning to do to Nedry. And if that was just Nedry, what about InGen? He hasn't even gotten started on what he wants to do to InGen. To the staff, the island, the park, and to John Hammond… Wu realized Dodgson would always distort everything to make it seem completely acceptable. It made him want to leave the group forever, but if he left on his own accord, there would be very painful consequences…

Dodgson looked at his watch and sighed. "I have to meet with Howard and George about some recent developments. My advice to you, Henry, is to keep your eyes on the prize. Right now, we're just delayed, but once we smooth out this huge bump in the road, once we get over all these unexpected hurdles, we'll move forward with your dreams. I hope you still trust me, so that we can work together. I will make this happen for you, Henry, it's just a matter of time."

Dodgson and Wu stood up at the same time. Without a word, Dodgson went to the door and opened it, gesturing for Wu to leave first. Wu did so and watched as Dodgson closed the door and walked down the hallway. Dodgson was oblivious to the fact that he had left Wu standing there or that Wu was even watching him. As Dodgson's last sentence replayed in his head, Wu thought it was interesting how sincere the message sounded. And yet, it was all empty promises—just as it had always been.

"So did you meet with Dr. Dodgson?"

He spun around to find Lopez and Tembo standing together, watching him closely. Lopez had asked the question.

"I did."

"How did it go?" Now Tembo joined in.

Wu gave them a candy-sweet smile as he channeled Nedry's sarcasm. "Fantastic."

Before they could ask him more, Wu barged between them and went to the elevators so he could go to his office on the fourth floor. It was strange how these days, every time he was near Lopez and Tembo, he had the sudden urge to get away from them. He was certain they sensed his dislike for them, although it was more Tembo that had an issue with him, more so than Lopez. The elevator doors opened, and Wu stepped onto the fourth floor. He rushed back to his office, and as always, he locked the door behind him.

Wu went to sit behind his desk and opened the drawer where he had stashed the newspaper. He made quick work of it and ripped it in half. Then he tore it in quarters. He kept shredding the newspaper until none of it could be pieced together or be recognizable. With a sigh of relief, he threw the destroyed newspaper into the wastebasket. Once done with that, his eyes landed on the phone. Wu grabbed the phone, ready to dial Jurassic Park's control room. But this time, he couldn't do it. He couldn't get himself to call that same number again because he already knew he'd hang up before he had a chance to speak coherently to Ray Arnold, or whoever picked up the phone now.

And last time he called the control room, it was John Hammond who had answered the phone…

Hammond was the last person he wanted to speak with after all this time. Wu had no idea of what he would say. How would he explain that he was with Biosyn and not InGen? Would he tell Hammond that he still wasn't well-known for all his accomplishments—after all this time? How selfish would that be? Hammond obviously had been released from the hospital and had returned to Isla Nublar. How did he find out everything? What did they tell him? What did he say? The questions swirled in Wu's mind, and he was afraid of what the answers would reveal. Perhaps it was better to not know. He didn't want to call the control room—and he didn't want to face anyone from Biosyn.

There was nowhere to turn.

Unsure of what to do, Wu put his head down on his desk for the rest of the afternoon, trying to mentally escape an inescapable situation.

I am writing this statement to give information that I hope will be helpful in the current investigation against Lewis Dodgson and his group from Biosyn that I used to be involved with. I threw my life away because of my own poor decisions. I hope my statement will show that I'm trying to do the right thing now.

I was a systems analyst and had worked for John Hammond of International Genetics (InGen for short). I was hired to design the control systems for his project but was never given details of what I was working with. When he wanted changes made to the system, I asked for more compensation, he refused, and in turn, I refused to do the extra work. Hammond sent letters to my other clients, making it sound like I was irresponsible, and he took it a step further and threatened lawsuits against me. I was told that any changes I made to the system were part of the original contract I had signed—which it wasn't. What I'm writing here isn't meant to be against John, but it explains why I went in the direction I did. I was furious with John, and at some point, I ran into Lewis Dodgson of Biology Synthetics Technologies (Biosyn for short).

Lewis Dodgson is charismatic. He can convince you to do anything he wants, even if it's illegal or over-the-top. His charm worked on me because I was fed up with John, InGen and the _ project. He started off slow, asking what it was like to work for InGen and about my position in the company. I was honest with him and disclosed that I hated working for InGen, especially John Hammond. We talked more and he told me about Biosyn and their goals. It turns out that InGen and Biosyn were rivals, and being that I owed no loyalty to Hammond, I was open to listening to Dodgson—his ideas, and eventually, his offer. Dodgson was looking to get his hands on InGen technology. He asked if I could defeat security to obtain what he wanted which were_. I told him I could because I had designed the security systems. I knew the ins and outs of the program and had built a trapdoor. I made it so that I could turn off all the security systems if I accessed a certain code called "White Rabbit Object" or Whte_ . I could also get into the system in case someone made a mess and I needed to clean it up.

I used my expertise to override the systems and stole from InGen. The first theft I did was successful and happened during the weekend of the park inspection. What I had stolen was fragile and Lewis Dodgson ruined the first batch. He demanded I get him a second batch of  _. I did it again, no problem. Same thing happened and the third time was the last time. Three strikes and you're out. My co-workers, Ray Arnold and Robert Muldoon, caught me in the act just when I received the money for turning over the items. The first time I stole for Dodgson, he paid me a million dollars. The second time, it was doubled. The third time, the money was tripled, but I never saw any of it because I got arrested that same day.

Soon after my arrest, I was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 10-15 years in prison. My computer certification was revoked. I had to pay huge fines. My life was over and instead of owning my lousy decisions, I blamed my co-workers for tailing me that day. During my first two years in prison, I vowed to make their lives a living hell if I ever got out—which I eventually did, and I will get to that.

What I need to say here is that Lewis Dodgson never showed up at my trial. During the two years I was locked up, he only came by twice. I wasn't in contact with him, which Hammond accused me of more than a year into my sentence. Henry Wu was the one sharing info with Dodgson, but that wasn't discovered until way later when I overheard a phone conversation between them. On the eve of my second-year anniversary in prison, Lewis Dodgson broke me out. The second time he visited me, he told me he would do this, but I didn't believe him. He sent Raúl Lopez and Sonya Durant disguised as transport officers to act like they were transferring me to another prison. They played the part well—they wore uniforms, badges, and even had restraints. The COs didn't suspect anything. That same night, I met with Dodgson in Biosyn's office in Cupertino.

Dodgson explained he was putting together a group that would invade Hammond's island that he had leased from the Costa Rican government, where his biological preserve was set up: Isla Nublar. The following people were in that group: myself. Raúl Lopez, paleontologist. Sonya Durant, guide and mercenary. Roland Tembo, guide and mercenary. George Lawala, mercenary. (George eventually left Biosyn, I helped him get a job with InGen because he wanted to leave and do better for himself). The other two people were Howard King, his personal assistant, and George Baselton, who pretended to be an accountant for Hammond, but he was embezzling funds and secretly working with Dodgson. I think he was hired as a professor to try to make Biosyn look good, but with Dodgson being the face of Biosyn, that's nearly impossible.

Dodgson had us steal live animal specimens from Hammond's island. I can't go into detail as to what they are, as I've signed a non-disclosure agreement. Some of what I say here is limited regarding InGen… We made three trips. In all three trips, I turned off the security systems, I knew how to hack in, even remotely. The first trip, I took care of that by getting into the control room, so that it would be easier the next two trips. That was my role with all three heists. During the first trip, I purposely went after Robert Muldoon. We fought in Henry Wu's lab, leaving the place a mess. A lot of expensive InGen property was destroyed—mostly because of me, but I didn't care at the time. I figured it would come out of Muldoon's paycheck. The second time, I didn't tangle with Muldoon—not physically. I couldn't because George Lawala had gotten injured by a _ that spits, so I addressed that with the park staff. I demanded that they help him and in return, my group would leave. They helped him and we left.

The third time, I released the _ and this ended horribly. For starters, I met John Hammond at his bungalow, where I told him I took down the phones and he told me I belong in prison. He left his bungalow and headed to the  _ _  and I followed him. I saw that the power was off (because I had hacked into the security systems). I tried to get him out of there, but he wouldn't listen. We exchanged heated words and insults. It was the worst argument we've ever had and I'm sure if you asked him, he would agree. I tried to get him out of there by force. I snatched his arm and he hit me with his cane. It started out bad and got worse. He spat in my face, I snatched his wrists again, trying to drag him out of the area. I pushed him hard, and he almost hit the ground. At the end, I told him to "drop dead". "Drop dead, Mr. Hammond." Words that still haunt me to this day because if I knew what was about to happen in the next five minutes, I would've never said those words. Robert and Dr. Grant shot two _, but there was still one out of the pen, and it was coming straight for John. Robert pushed him to the ground to get him out of the way. If Robert hadn't done that, John would've been killed.

I went back to John, and he was having trouble sitting up on his own. He kept falling. Right after that, is when it all went to hell. It was already hell, but now it was HELL because he started having a stroke. I was literally holding him in my arms when I saw the changes. He couldn't talk clearly, and the left side of his face was drooping. I think he tried to say he couldn't feel his left arm and leg. His words sounded slurred. I wanted to help him, but I didn't know what to do. I called out for help and hoped anyone would show up. Help eventually came for John, but then me and Robert got into it. We fought like never before. It's no exaggeration when I say we were trying to kill each other. He had blood all over his face from our fight and the _ attacking him which would eventually leave scars. I didn't leave the island intact either. I had my share of bruises and a sprained ankle. But none of that mattered because Hammond had to be rushed to the hospital on the mainland by helicopter. He would be there for months because of what I had done.

Dodgson laughed when he found out everything. He laughed like it was the funniest thing that John was paralyzed. That's how severe the stroke was. After Hammond's stroke and Robert being so badly injured, I couldn't stay with Biosyn anymore. At the time, I hated John Hammond and Robert Muldoon, but I never meant for this to happen. My hate harmed them beyond what I ever thought possible, and because of that, I couldn't work the way Dodgson wanted me to. What I mean is, I didn't want to do anything else to sabotage InGen. I outright refused Dodgson's final assignment: take over InGen. I made this known and Dodgson threatened to have me sent back to prison. He said I signed a contract that states if I ever get out of line (which means not do as he says), my freedom would be "forfeited". This came about after he told the team that he wanted to take over John's island. John's stroke and hospitalization wasn't enough for him. Now he wanted to take the island and _ by force. He was doing it for himself and for Biosyn. A hostile takeover where InGen staff would be prisoners or forced to leave.

I didn't want to find out how this would turn out, and I didn't want to be involved. I had done enough damage. Dodgson blackmailed me with threats of capture and incarceration. I found a way to escape by pretending I was going to InGen's headquarters in Palo Alto for an assignment he asked me to do. I wanted to get to the island before Dodgson's team did and make amends by warning InGen of his plans.

Dodgson figured out what I was up to and put a hit on me. He sent Roland Tembo, George Baselton, Howard King, and this kid named Eric Kirby. They ambushed me at a motel. Roland shot me with what I think he called "rock salt" and they took me to an empty parking lot. Tembo and Baselton flipped a quarter to decide who would kill me. They talked about killing me like it was a sport. I got out alive because I had to. I had no other choice. I broke George Baselton's arm and bashed Howard King's knee with the cash-filled suitcase Dodgson gave me. I convinced Eric Kirby to leave Biosyn for good and confronted Tembo about everything. He knew what I was doing by going back to the island and he wasn't apologetic that he had planned to shoot me because he said Dodgson was paying him to do so.

I eventually made it back to the island and had a confrontation with Robert Muldoon where he shot me down. He and my other coworker, Ray Arnold, captured and interrogated me. I was furious from being shot at and I said everything I could to make them angry. I mocked Robert for his scars, which was extremely low on my part. I eventually told them what Dodgson planned on doing. Mostly Dr. Malcolm as he appeared to be the only one listening, but I don't know if he believed me at the time. When I dropped the bombshell that Henry Wu was working with Dodgson, and that I overheard it in a phone conversation, everyone dismissed me as a liar. I understand why that is, given everything I had done.

That same night Tembo and Lopez showed up and knocked out me and Muldoon. We were abducted and taken to Isla Sorna. They left us stranded, expecting that we would just kill each other if the little lizards didn't get us first. It was on Sorna that Muldoon and I, after all our fighting and clashing, were finally able to work together, but this statement isn't about that. It's about what I did for Dodgson. I'll end this statement by saying that the other thing I did for him, before I left, was to steal information from Cetus. I stole the information he was looking for and then destroyed their entire computer system with a virus I designed called "Catch Me If You Can". This is the same virus I put on the laptop that was supposed to have InGen's information. I gave that laptop to Dodgson just before he and his group were kicked off the island for good (because they did eventually take over InGen for a period of time). Everything I've written here is true.

-Dennis Nedry

Corey Anderson sat in his office as he finished reading Nedry's written statement. It held a lot of information, and he had a feeling that there was even more information for Nedry to share. For example, if Dodgson and his group did take over InGen and Isla Nublar, how did that happen? What happened afterwards? Aside from those unanswered questions, what stood out to Anderson were the blanks. He knew that information was vital since it had been omitted. It was information he needed so that he could fully understand the entire significance of Nedry's crimes, and more importantly, everything Dodgson and his group had done. Much of it pertained to industrial espionage. He glanced at his watch. In an hour, Ian Malcolm, John Hammond, and Robert Muldoon would arrive at the precinct. Before that, he had to meet with the officers who would review with Nedry about the ins and outs of being a confidential informant.

oOo

Nedry approached the office building where Dodgson's team resided. It was four stories high and surrounded by a chain-link fence. The grass was tall; it hadn't been mowed or kept up. Anyone walking by would think the area had been abandoned, but Nedry knew better. It was the following day and Anderson's team had strategically placed three audio bugs on him earlier. Anderson had explained to him they were very small and wouldn't be discovered by anyone. Nedry was also told they would be watching him from afar today, but he saw nobody except a black car with tinted windows parked up the block. That must be them. Lousy disguise, he thought.

Now he was in front of the complex and he looked through the chain link fences. It appeared far more sinister than Biosyn's original location. Probably because it was located at the end of a maze of buildings and off to the side as though it didn't belong. Nedry had the impression that it had been vacant for some time before Dodgson acquired it. His sense of uneasiness increased when he saw the Biosyn logo on the doors. Before he was calm, but his heart started to hammer away in his chest—he hated that sensation. There was a large sign in bold letters that read: Biosyn Off-Site: Research Department.

He was wondering how he'd get around the chain link fence when his question was promptly answered.

Tembo and Lopez approached him from the front entrance. Even from where he stood, he could sense their extreme hatred for him. Their furious glares and the way they hurried over to him. He heard rushed footsteps behind him and the metallic click of guns. Nedry tightened his jaw, determined not to let fear paralyze him even as a wave of déjà vu hit him at the same time. He was immediately reminded of when he returned to Isla Nublar to warn the InGen staff of Dodgson's crazy plans and being surrounded by Arnold, Muldoon, and a ring of maintenance workers all pointing their guns at him. Without turning around, he knew King, Baselton, and Sonya had cornered him. He thought he heard a fourth person with them. Henry Wu? Nedry raised his arms in the air, but never had a chance to see who was behind him. A sharp prick jabbed the back of his neck, and all went black…

Nedry woke up, thrashing and sweat beading his forehead. He forced himself to catch his breath. This was the second night in a row that he had nightmares about meeting with Lewis Dodgson and the team cornering him. In the first nightmare, they had thrown a bag over his head. This nightmare was longer and more vivid—probably because the time was nearing for him to begin his work as a confidential informant. He was walking into the lion's den (or perhaps it was more apt to say "into the raptor's pen")—and he had no way of knowing if he would survive. The night before while trying to fall asleep in the holding cell, he tried to come to terms that he may not walk out alive. He thought when he woke up that he was accepting of his demise, but the heart palpitations he now experienced told him a different story. How weird that he experienced the palpitations in his nightmare, and now when he was awake…it couldn't be a good omen.

He saw the bars and remembered they had placed him in a holding cell temporarily. I went from one prison to another, he thought. The individual holding cell was in the bowels of the police station and meant to detain him until he started working. Seeing it as work felt strange to him, but that's what he would be doing: working off his charges. He saw clothing and sneakers that had been placed in his cell—it was different from what he had been arrested in.

Sighing, Nedry rubbed his forehead when he thought of how much hated being confined. And yet, he would prefer his prison cell back at Green Hills Federal Correctional Institution over being trapped in Dodgson's new headquarters—wherever that was. That was the stark truth of the matter: Dodgson's new headquarters was the last place he wanted to be. He had fooled Dodgson once, but he had a sinking feeling that he wouldn't be able to fool him a second time…

Manipulating a supreme manipulator wasn't an easy task at all.

Nedry thought back to when he pretended to be aligned with Dodgson after Malcolm got him out of the Costa Rican jail. The InGen staff had been furious with him for turning off the fences so that the Biosyn team could get inside the enclosures to poach a dilophosaur and a stegosaur. At the time, he couldn't let anyone know what he was doing. Not Muldoon, who had vouched for him to the rest of the park staff, and not Malcolm, who had advocated for him in court. Their furious reactions had to be genuine—everyone's did. It was the only way for his plan to work. If he had told them what he was going to do, Dodgson would've picked up on it. Dodgson was a sharp observer: any indication from InGen that showed a glimmer of hope, and he would've interpreted it as Nedry aiding them. He would know that InGen had the advantage. Nedry had to ensure that Dodgson believed that Biosyn had the upper hand—and that InGen believed they were doomed. Absolutely no one could be in on his thought process—especially once Dodgson made it known that he wanted to invite Biosyn's top dogs to Isla Nublar…

Nedry's duplicity was so convincing that he made Dodgson believe that he had truly turned his back on InGen again. Although it was an accomplishment, it also wore him down. The manipulation of everyone whose trust he was truly trying to regain—especially Muldoon's—was difficult for Nedry. He went to bed every night in a small room in the staff lodge that had no door, since Arnold didn't trust him and had Harding remove it. It took forever to get to sleep because of the immense headaches he had during that time. He was exhausted from the mind games he was playing with everyone. Then being trashed by the Biosyn team. Nedry expected it, but it started to get to him when he remembered that hellish night in the cell—and how Sonya, Tembo, and Lopez needed little to no provocation to finish the job if the opportunity presented itself. That time when Dodgson smirked after he joked with Nedry that he "had the team beat you into submission". Lopez glaring at him all the time with utmost hatred for getting under Dodgson's graces so easily…

No, he wouldn't be able to fool Dodgson a second time…

Nedry tried to distract himself and examine the clothing given to him. He had been permitted to shower the night before and was told today he would be getting ready to go out on his own. He picked up the clothing and turned them inside out, searching for a hidden mic or whatever they planned on using to listen in on his conversations. There was nothing. Maybe they would put it on later? He got dressed quickly and waited. Twenty minutes later, Anderson came to his cell and unlocked the door.

"I brought some lunch for everyone," Anderson said. "We're gonna meet in my office, but first I'll take you to meet with some officers. They'll discuss with you the work of being a police informant."

Nedry nodded but said nothing. Police informant. Confidential informant. They meant one and the same thing: snitch. He didn't know what to say about everything going on. Facing life in prison versus facing death when dealing with Dodgson—he had chosen the lesser of two evils, but he would soon find out if that was true.

oOo

Later in the afternoon, Anderson and Nedry entered a small interrogation room on the second floor. As promised, Nedry had met with two police officers who went over in-depth about the work of police/confidential informants. During the entire hour, Nedry's anxiety had skyrocketed as his heart drummed in his chest and his head felt like it would burst from the awful headache that wouldn't go away. It felt like someone had taken a hammer and banged it on his skull. He tried to keep calm, but nothing worked: mind exercises, positive hopes for the future, or deep breathing. Knowing that some informants had been killed didn't help. Some had managed to work off their charges. Try as he might, he found it impossible to focus on the successful cases. Instead, his mind always went to the ones who had been thwarted when they were kidnapped, tortured, drowned, stabbed, shot in the head… In one instance, they had to identify the confidential informant with her dental records because the body was so badly decomposed.

Why was he doing this again…?

Nedry tried not to think about it now as he examined the interrogation room and saw Anderson place a folder on the table that he had carried under his arm. Muldoon, Malcolm, and Hammond were already there waiting and the police officer who had escorted them was now leaving. They stood against the wall, and he didn't bother to greet them. On the table was a phone and what appeared to be a recording machine.

"To start this assignment, we'll have you call Lewis Dodgson directly. Find out when and where he wants to meet with you," Anderson said as he sat down and gestured for Nedry to sit in the empty seat across from him. "If I recall, the group you had worked with said he wanted to speak with you."

"Yeah, that's what they said. It's code for 'he wants to break your neck'." Nedry fought against every urge that wanted to resist the instructions. Instead, he forced himself to sit down. He started cracking his knuckles in a half-hearted attempt to relax as he stared at the phone that would put into motion his work as a police informant.

Anderson didn't respond to what Nedry just said. "Just keep this light. Let him know you heard he wants to talk with you. We'll try to make this be in public for your safety."

"My safety?" Nedry's eyebrows rose. It was the first time his safety had been brought up. He had been thinking about it the entire time. It seemed that everyone was more focused on him getting Wu to come back to InGen—by any means necessary.

"Your safety is our priority."

"I didn't think it was."

Nedry refused to voice what he really thought about everything. The recurring nightmares were a manifestation of what he anticipated happening. It had come up when he spoke to Muldoon and Malcolm outside of the courthouse, but other than that one time, he kept silent about it. Part of him believed this was his karma for risking everyone's lives every time he turned off the security systems to steal for Dodgson, all the times he fought with Muldoon, and landing Hammond in the hospital with a serious stroke that took months to recover from… Aside from that, there was nothing anyone could do to keep him completely safe. He knew that to be true regardless of what Anderson or anyone said.

"It is our priority, but we know this is a very risky operation. That's why we're keeping it as brief as possible. We're looking at no more than a week."

"A week?!" Nedry looked from Anderson to Hammond, Muldoon, and Malcolm, who remained standing against the wall, listening to everything. "It won't take a week for Dodgson to kill me!"

It was like someone threw off a light switch. Everyone jumped in, giving him false reassurance.

"It's not that long, Dennis." Malcolm.

"Once you're done, I'll get you the best lawyer. Spare no expense." Hammond.

"You've faced him before; you can do it again." Muldoon.

The pressure was building up. They acted like he was buying ice cream at the grocery market—instead of going on a suicide mission. Everyone—whether they did it purposely or not—treated him as though he was expendable. That's what infuriated him the most. If he failed, no one would care. No one would lose sleep if he got killed or served a life sentence in prison. They would only care that Wu was still with Dodgson. He knew he had done horrible things in the past and that he would always pay the consequences in some form, but it seemed unfair that he was expected to risk his life for Henry Wu. And Dodgson wouldn't hold back this time once he had him in his grasp. All the possible outcomes were terrifying to think about, and he couldn't contain his anger anymore even if he tried. Nedry exploded, pushing the phone off the table and it clattered on the floor.

"I'm not doing this."

"You've already signed—" Anderson started.

"I don't care what I signed! I'm going back to my holding cell."

Anderson bolted from the chair and picked up the phone from the floor. He slammed it down on the table, causing Hammond to jolt in surprise. He didn't mean to be unprofessional and show outward anger, but he couldn't hide his frustration at Nedry's unexpected turn. Although he hoped this wouldn't happen, it was always a possibility. He would give Nedry options, but not before prodding him first.

"Are you sure you don't want to even try?"

"Yes, I'm damn sure! I said what I said, and I don't stutter!"

Anderson heard someone gasp and he was sure it was Hammond. Muldoon started to come forward and stopped when he saw Anderson shake his head. Malcolm raised his hand as though wanting to intervene, but Anderson didn't see him. He calculated his options: should he bring Nedry back to his cell and abort the project? He was also dealing with an angry man who had a violent history—and he had to consider everyone's safety. He didn't want the situation to escalate either. Anderson put his hand on his walkie-talkie to call for back-up in case Nedry's hostile behavior worsened.

"I need you guys to leave the room," he said to the group and pointed at the doorway. He turned back to Nedry. "Are you gonna calm down?"

Nedry's anger evaporated and was replaced by fear in a split second. "I'm fine." His tone hadn't changed, but his eyes were glued to Anderson's taser, gun, and cuffs. He glanced at Anderson to see which one he would pull out and backed away from the table while still in the chair.

"I need you to take it down a notch. If you continue to escalate—"

"I'm not allowed to feel angry?! You know what? Get everyone in here—" Nedry pointed wildly at the door. "Get your riot police, captain, lieutenant, whoever! Get them all! Why the hell don't you send them to Dodgson's new hideout? I'm sure they'll come back in one piece!"

Anderson thought quickly, while he remained grounded. He motioned again for the group to leave the interrogation room. Malcolm started to exit with Hammond when Muldoon stepped away from them and approached the table where Nedry sat. They turned around and watched to see what he would do to intervene.

"Let me talk to him," Muldoon said, taking a seat across from Nedry.

"I'm not speaking with you, Robert," Nedry snapped, "or any of you." He pointed at Malcolm and Hammond. He looked at Anderson who stood back, watching him. "Take me back to my cell—please," he added.

Anderson realized where he went wrong: he was too focused on the assignment and didn't address Nedry directly. He was doing the same thing as Hammond: putting the cart before the horse by focusing on what he wanted Nedry to do without preparing him. Anderson now recalled working with other detectives in the precinct and how they had to prep their undercover informants before they made the first move. As he considered what direction to take, he heard Muldoon speaking.

"Don't do this."

"Don't do what?!" Nedry slammed an open palm on the table.

Muldoon didn't flinch. "Stop with the bloody backtalk and hear me out."

Anderson's eyebrows rose. Muldoon didn't play games. Although Nedry was furious, Muldoon's approach was already working as Nedry was listening to him.

"You won't be given a second chance if you go back to your holding cell."

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"Yeah, 'cause you know everything—self-righteous as always."

"And you're being difficult—as always," Muldoon shot back.

Nedry shrugged and Muldoon leaned over the table.

"You'll return to prison and face a life sentence or something close to it. You'll never have a chance at getting your own place, restarting your career, and most of all, enjoying your freedom—which you always wanted."

"At least I'll be alive." Nedry drummed his fingers on the table.

"Being incarcerated for the next three decades is a slow death," Muldoon said, trying to meet Nedry's eyes. Nedry was deliberately avoiding him. Muldoon could tell by the way he stared at the table. "Do you really think Dodgson and his gang will kill you?"

"I don't think they will. I know they will—and there's not a damn thing you or anyone can do to stop it. Not that anyone would."

Muldoon sat back in the chair when he realized the heart of it all. "You think we don't care?"

"None of you do! And why should you care after everything I've done?!" Nedry finally looked up and shot Muldoon an annoyed look as though this was obvious. "I've done shitty things, but believe it or not, my life has value."

"We know that—"

"You're not going in there—you're not facing possible death at Dodgson's hands or life in prison! You don't have to choose between two shitty choices."

"No one's denying that you're taking a huge risk and neither option is ideal. You're right on both counts."

"I know I'm right—I don't need your damn validation." Nedry's drumming became louder. "No one is telling me how I will do this or what's in place to ensure my safety."

"That's fair and it should be addressed."

Nedry ranted on as though Muldoon hadn't spoken. "No one's training me and all I know are stories about snitches getting killed. Or maybe two out of ten make it out alive. I dunno."

Malcolm left Hammond and came over to the table now. "You're not angry, you're afraid."

"No shit, Sherlock!" Nedry turned to Malcolm wearing a wide phony grin.

"I, uh, do have stupendous deductive skills, in addition to my superpowers as a mathematician."

Nedry stopped drumming his fingers on the table as Malcolm grabbed a seat and sat beside Muldoon. "So, what's your new equation? Dodgson minus Dennis equals zero?"

"That's a faulty equation, and besides, I specialize in chaos theory as you well know—and this situation is quite chaotic." Malcolm pretended to write a lengthy mathematical equation in the air.

"Glad someone's finally stating the obvious." Nedry laughed and appeared to calm down slightly.

"This situation has chaos theory written all over it."

Hammond stood near the doorway, listening to them. "Oh balls, here we go." Anytime Malcolm mentioned "chaos theory", he bristled.

"Care to join us, John?" Malcolm called out, having heard him.

"Sure," Hammond said, coming to the table. He decided to focus on Nedry. Malcolm gestured to an empty seat beside him. "I know this isn't easy, Dennis, but try to remember you will have a life after this. You can start over again and put all this behind you."

A brief silence passed before Nedry spoke again, this time, he sounded like he was trying to keep himself calm.

"Let's say I pull off this insane scheme and I end up surviving. Do I still go back to prison? What if no one hires me because of my record? What then?"

Hammond's heart sank when he heard Nedry's voice shaking—it was completely uncharacteristic of him. He noticed Nedry staring at the table, unable to face him. "You can come back to InGen. I'll create a position for you. Think about it, it's a possible option."

Anderson watched in amazement as the group successfully de-escalated the situation. He was even more shocked when Nedry called out to him.

"There's room for one more," he said pointing at the empty chair next to him. When Anderson sat down, he thought he heard Nedry mumble an apology. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have…" He shrugged, embarrassed now. "I just want to know if there's oversight, is someone watching or listening? If it gets too crazy, will I get pulled out? Will you and your squad come in time before all hell breaks loose?"

Anderson placed down his pocket notebook and pen on the table. "I get it. I should've approached from that angle first, rather than pushing you to make the call to Dodgson. Let's review how we're planning to approach this. It's not set in stone."

Nedry sat up, indicating he was willing to listen. "Go on."

"Safety and surveillance. We will do what we can to keep you safe, but you're right: there's limits and this is very dangerous work. What we're aiming for is for you to have face-to-face meetings with Dodgson. You meet with him on one day; another day, you meet with Henry. We'll have plainclothes police stationed nearby, keeping an eye on everything."

"That sounds reasonable," Malcolm said.

"What if he wants me to meet at his place?" Nedry asked.

Anderson wrote some notes on his pad. "My team has been working around the clock on getting the surveillance material that you'll be wearing. We can track where you are and hear everything."

"I'm wearing a wire?! They're gonna see that—they'll know."

Anderson shook his head. "You'll be wearing audio bugs that record your conversations. These bugs are very small and can be anything like a pen, a pair of glasses, a keychain, even a button on a shirt." He held his thumb and pointer finger close together to indicate minuscule size.

"You wore one when you met those bloody fools from UniGenCorp," Muldoon pointed out. "Remember?"

Nedry shot a glare in his direction as though annoyed that Muldoon had brought it up. Either way, he couldn't disagree with him. "Yeah, I remember, but they still found it." He turned to Anderson. "Please tell me I'm not wearing something bulky under my shirt that will make it obvious that I'm recording their conversations."

"It's not wire taped to your chest like in the movies. As for what you'll be doing—get Dodgson and anyone associated with him to talk and reveal information. You did it when we spoke with you at the prison."

"I did?"

"When you mentioned the gang assault and how he tried to have you killed. You revealed it in casual conversation. It's the same thing here. You're just getting Dodgson and his gang to talk about anything they did when you were involved with them. Anything they're up to now and anything they plan on doing for the future. It's all about gathering information and evidence to be used against them in court."

"So that they go to prison?"

Muldoon, Malcolm, and Hammond listened in silence to Nedry's and Anderson's exchange. They were glad the plans were starting to fall into place as to what exactly Nedry would be doing.

"That's right," Anderson said. "We have your written statement, which is very helpful." He opened the folder and pointed at the papers, indicating he had brought Nedry's written statement. "If they mention anything that's already in your statement and it matches with what you've told us, we can build a solid case."

It sounded easy enough, but something still didn't sit right. Nedry didn't want to voice the possibility into existence, but he had to ask. "What if they…?" He couldn't finish his thoughts.

"What if they attack you?" Anderson asked. He read the expressions from everyone. Muldoon and Malcolm appeared concerned as they shifted in their chairs at the same time, and Hammond seemed worried as his eyes shifted away.

Nedry nodded. "What happens then?"

Anderson thought about how to answer his question. The truth was no answer would be reassuring. He was ready to respond when Nedry beat him to it.

"There's nothing you can do…I know that…" he sighed and rubbed his temples, anxious with the entire situation weighing on him. Finally, he resigned himself to going forward with it. If he kept procrastinating, it would only worsen the increasing tension. "Pass me the phone. Let's get this over with."

"Remember: just talk, have a normal conversation. Everything is being recorded." Anderson pushed the phone in Nedry's direction and then flipped through his pocket notebook. "I have two numbers."

"Where'd you get them from?"

"Ray was able to track down a phone number," Muldoon said. "There's one that we believe Henry is calling from, and then another one that's from the same location."

"It was in Cupertino? Biosyn's headquarters?"

"No, Los Altos." Muldoon said, watching as Nedry picked up the phone and took the information from Anderson. He sensed the heaviness of Nedry's resignation to follow through on what was expected of him.

Just as Nedry finished dialing the number, Anderson spoke up. He hung up the phone, losing his concentration.

"If they do anything to you and you walk out of this, and even if you don't—they will face grave charges."

"Such as?" Nedry's tone didn't match his mood. He sounded irritable, but he was curious as to what Anderson meant.

"Let's say they ask you to meet at McDonald's. You go there, they show up and shoot you in the face. They would face charges for that."

"Really?"

Anderson couldn't tell if Nedry's tone was sarcastic, and he glanced at Malcolm to get a sense of what he thought of everything. Malcolm simply observed and listened.

"Yes, really—it won't go unpunished."

Nedry smirked. "That's comforting. I feel so much better knowing that my life has some value."

This time Anderson knew Nedry was being sarcastic. He saw Muldoon mouth a message at him. That's how he is. Anderson made a mental note to speak more with Muldoon. He figured Muldoon had insight about Nedry that would help understand him better.

"If you agree to meet somewhere, that doesn't mean you're agreeing to be attacked, shot, kidnapped, and so on. I know that sounds ridiculous."

"It doesn't," Malcolm interjected. "It's like leaving a car running and someone steals the car. The person gets charged with auto theft for stealing the car. The owner doesn't get punished for warming up their car, even if they left the door open."

"Exactly," Anderson said. "Remember: keep it simple." He pressed the speaker button on the phone pad so that everyone could hear the conversation.

Nedry hung up the phone again. "What's my cover story gonna be?"

"Your 'cover story'?" Muldoon's eyebrows knit in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"They were there that night," Nedry said, answering Muldoon's question, but directing his answer to Anderson. "They saw everything when you and your guys nabbed me."

"'They'?" Anderson asked.

Nedry rubbed his forehead slowly. He was trying to maintain his patience and not outright lash out. "Dodgson's loyal dogs. Lopez, Sonya, Tembo…Wu was also there. They probably think I've been sent back to the joint, so me showing up out of the blue won't make sense to them. They'll know off the bat that I struck a deal with the police or whoever."

"They won't know you're a CI."

"They might, I've snitched on them before."

Malcolm tilted his head in thought. "Uh, Dennis raises a valid point." He focused on Nedry who stared at the phone. "Last time you came to the island on your own volition."

"Right, to warn the park staff about Biosyn. You guys want me to infiltrate Biosyn, have coffee and donuts with Lew Dodgson. If I'm supposed to be locked up, what's my story as to why I'm back on the streets?"

"I see his point too," Hammond said quietly.

Anderson leaned back in his chair as he thought about it. "What about…we use what you did before, but put a spin on it?"

Muldoon and Malcolm exchanged curious glances. That could work…

"You mean, tell them I'm out because I helped InGen? The judge reduced my sentence and put me on house arrest?"

"Something like that—but I wouldn't give them info unless they pry."

"Fair enough."

Nedry picked up the phone again—this time with more gusto—and dialed the number. There were four rings and then someone picked up on the other side. "Put Dodgson on the phone," he demanded.

Malcolm and Hammond moved closer to the table. Muldoon and Anderson listened to the voice on the other end asking who was calling.

"Tell him it's his favorite hacker, he'll know who it is." Nedry smirked and put his hand over the receiver. "That's Lopez, he's Dodgson's Number One Whore."

A brief smile broke through Muldoon's stony exterior and faded just as quickly. Muldoon got the joke, but everyone else was lost as to what Nedry meant. A few seconds of silence and then a pleasant voice could be heard.

"To whom do I owe this dubious pleasure?"

Nedry rolled his eyes. "Who do you think?"

"Oh wow…so the rumors are true. You're on the outside, huh Dennis?"

"As opposed to being where?"

"You know where, do you need reminding?"

"Nope."

"How did you get out?"

"None of your damn business." Nedry facepalmed with his free hand when he realized he didn't use his cover story. He stayed like that for a split-second before removing his hand and glancing over at Anderson.

Don't worry about it, keep going, Anderson mouthed. You're doing fine.

Nedry nodded as he squeezed the phone.

"Maybe parole or something like shitty like that—especially after trying so hard to be a reformed convict." Dodgson's tone was mocking.

"Why the hell do you care? I'm out and that's all that matters."

Dodgson laughed. "Touchy! So, what can I do for you?"

Nedry looked over at Anderson, almost as though looking for an explanation. He saw Hammond, Malcolm, and Muldoon staring at him, watching everything he was doing, and hanging onto his every word. Then he continued forward after he remembered what Anderson told him: keep it simple.

"I heard from your brood of vipers that you want to speak with me."

"I do. It's been a long time—and they're not a brood of vipers." Dodgson's tone abruptly changed to a harsh growl. Then just as quickly, he resumed his calm façade. "They're my prize employees. You were once too, you know."

"I'm not looking to be employed by you again."

"Sorry to hear that."

Nedry switched back the topic. "We can talk on the phone."

There was silence on the other line and Nedry pictured Dodgson shaking his head. "I prefer meeting in-person. At a bar, or a restaurant. It's more personal that way."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Too much to say on here."

Nedry looked at Anderson again. Anderson mouthed where.

"Alright, Dr. Dodgson, where do you want to meet?"

"Hmm…why don't we meet at Carlos and Charlie's—for old times' sake. That would be most appropriate, don't you agree?"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever. What time?"

"Midnight."

Nedry saw the confused expression on Hammond's face. He looked like he was going to ask why Dodgson wanted to meet so late. He mouthed to Anderson: do I accept? Anderson nodded to indicate that he had to accept the time.

"That's past my bedtime, but for you, I'll make an exception. What day?"

"Today's a good day as any. I don't see the need to put it off. Let's meet at our favorite restaurant, have some drinks, and catch up."

Nedry's eyes widened. Today?! He wasn't prepared. Then again, it was impossible to prepare oneself to walk into a death trap.

"You got it. I'll meet you tonight around 12am. Carlos and Charlie's in Silicon Valley."

"See you then." Dodgson's voice was nauseatingly sweet.

Before Dodgson could say anything else, Nedry slammed down the phone and pushed it away. All he could do was stare at the phone as he cracked his knuckles, trying to calm his nerves. What the hell did I just do?! He realized he couldn't allow himself to feel fear when he hadn't even met with Dodgson yet—but it was impossible. Dread descended upon him, causing his stomach to roll, his heart to flip-flop, and a sheen of sweat to form on the back of his neck. He expected the sensations would worsen as time went on. Everyone was oblivious to what he was feeling.

"That was very good," Anderson said. "I've got a couple of questions and I'm sure the rest of you do too," he nodded at Malcolm and Hammond. Muldoon sat deep in thought but did not say anything that indicated he heard Anderson.

"Why so late?" Hammond asked.

"And what's so special about Carlos and Charlie's?" Malcolm tacked on.

"Lewis Dodgson likes to meet at midnight. He's fond of doing midnight meetings. He's always been that way, I don't know why," Nedry said, answering Hammond. He turned to Malcolm. "When Dodgson first recruited me, that's the restaurant we always met to discuss how I would do my first theft."

Muldoon looked up now. He had been listening to everything. "You mean the theft you committed during the park inspection?"

"Yeah…" This had come up faster than Nedry expected. "I couldn't tell him another time?"

"If you had told him that you can only meet in the daytime, it might arouse suspicion," Anderson explained.

"What about Henry?" Hammond asked.

"We're hoping if this first meeting goes well, then maybe we can try with Henry. Lewis Dodgson will be the first," Anderson said.

Everyone—except Nedry who sat wrapped up in a terrified silence—talked about the next steps that would be taken if this first midnight meeting was successful. Nedry stared at the phone, trying to accept what lay ahead. He heard their conversation, but didn't join in. He was already experiencing that same awful hammering sensation of heart palpitations. It was bad enough that he had to meet with Dodgson tonight. He didn't want to imagine meeting Wu or anyone else. Anderson spoke directly to him now and he did his best to focus.

"We'll get you prepared. There's another office down this hallway that I'll take you to see. The staff there will fit you with the audio bugs. Chances are you'll be wearing more than one."

Everyone stood up from the table. Anderson turned to the group. "You guys can come back at around eleven in the evening tonight. I'll take Dennis to the office to get started."

"Wait, before I go…I just have one question for John," Nedry said.

Muldoon and Malcolm watched their exchange as Hammond stepped forward.

"How did you manage to negotiate a sentence commutation in exchange for what I'm gonna do?"

"The prison warden, Daniel Walker, and Judge Hoskins saw what we all saw," Hammond gestured to Malcolm and Muldoon now and they nodded in agreement. "You're trying to do the right thing. If you're willing to risk everything to put Dodgson behind bars and get Henry back to InGen, then at the very least, you should be given a chance to either have a full pardon or a sentence commutation, so that you can start your life over."

Nedry didn't believe his sentence would be reduced. At the same time, he appreciated Hammond's efforts. He knew he had better say it now in case he didn't have a chance to say it later.

"Thank you, John."

oOo

"I came to tell you thank you."

"For what?"

Nedry hoped his tone didn't sound annoyed because he wasn't. His apprehension about his upcoming role was escalating with every passing moment, and it came out as him being irritated. The ongoing anxiety reminded him of waves on the beach—they would recede, but always return. Sometimes, like now, it would crash on him, drenching him completely. He was tempted to ask for Xanax, but he didn't want anyone to know the intensity of his roiling emotions. Not that it mattered since they already knew from his earlier outburst.

Even so, there was no turning back.

He couldn't even eat the Happy Meal from McDonald's that Anderson had purchased for him two hours ago. Nor could he stomach the irony that there was meal called "happy" when all he felt was tremor after tremor of sheer uneasiness. It caused his body to tremble, and he had to force himself to keep still. The food sat on the desk in the paper bag, cold and untouched. If Nedry was feeling like his normal self, he would've wolfed it down already, but he didn't have an appetite.

It was a quarter after eleven in the evening. Nedry had been in Anderson's office for the past two hours, reading papers about eliciting information. Before that, he had watched more videos about the same topic: elicit information, interviewing techniques, open-ended versus close-ended questions. Body language, behavioral analysis, and other interrogation tactics and strategies. Much of it seemed like common sense at first, until Nedry admitted to himself that he needed to brush up on his social skills. None of that mattered now since he would leave the precinct within the hour. Every minute that passed brought him closer to the actual task of meeting Dodgson face to face again after all this time.

"For what you're doing, Dennis," Hammond said, leaning on his cane. "I know it must be scary."

Nedry sat at a nearby desk and forced himself to turn around and face Hammond out of respect for him. The same boss who almost derailed his career was trying to help him get his life back on track. Hammond didn't have to show up at his arraignment. He didn't have to work together with Walker, Anderson, or Judge Hoskins. He didn't have to advocate for him. Hammond chose to do so. Nedry didn't think he would be as merciful if their roles were reversed.

He also wished he didn't have to take this step, but he kept telling himself it was better than rotting in prison for the next thirty years of his life. With any luck, he'd obtain the info they wanted, Wu would return to InGen, and he'd get a second chance. He tried to focus on the good that could come from the situation. It was far more motivating to imagine his new life, instead of worrying about imminent death which only paralyzed him. If he looked at it from the standpoint that Hammond saw it: that he would have a chance to restart his life and career when this was all over, then he could move forward. Hammond felt the same way about wanting to help him.

"I want you to know that I appreciate what you're doing for InGen and Henry, and that I don't take it lightly." Hammond slowly came into the office, as though concerned that Nedry may not want him there at all. He hesitated to come further.

"I appreciate that you appreciate me." Nedry laughed awkwardly.

It was strange to hear Hammond say he appreciated him, to have this pleasant exchange…it might be their very last. If it had to be their last exchange, at least they would end on a good note. Not full of animosity like last time in the park. Then he remembered that he had visited Hammond in the hospital when Malcolm helped him to get released from jail in Costa Rica. Lex had returned with Grant, and they all went to see Hammond that same day. Nedry thought back to that time; he had a good conversation with Hammond then. Hammond had joked with him about being on his "best behavior".

"When this is all over, I'll make sure to get whatever you need. Spare no expense."

"Thanks, Dad."

Hammond smiled, amused at Nedry's response. At one time, it had annoyed him as Nedry had meant it sarcastically, but now he said it in jest. The other part was he truly appreciated Nedry's sacrifice. Hammond found that the time spent processing and healing from their past conflict was necessary. In owning his role, Hammond felt his anger towards Nedry had lessened. In its place was compassion and respect for the employee he once had a hostile connection with. It was better for both of their sakes to be amiable. It was why he was able to advocate for Nedry. Strangely enough, Nedry asked him about it right then.

"Why did you say that in the courtroom?"

"About my stroke and hospitalization?" Hammond asked. His eyes scanned the office for a chair to sit in.

Nedry noticed and pointed at a chair against the wall. Hammond followed through and sat down and placed his cane on his lap.

"You told Judge Hoskins that I'm not responsible…" Nedry hated this. He never had trouble speaking his mind and now his words wouldn't come to him. Probably because of the subject matter.

"Do you remember what I told you the night of the park inspection? When I said you had butterfingers?"

"You said you don't blame people for their mistakes, you only ask that they pay for them."

"Right," Hammond said, nodding. "And you've paid over and over again for your crimes—mistakes."

Nedry looked him straight in the eye. In his mind, there was no reason to minimize what he had done. "I didn't make mistakes—I committed crimes. You had it right the first time, and I knew what I was doing."

"Fair enough." Hammond sighed and then he perked up. "You made a mistake when you committed the crimes!"

"Are we really arguing about this?" Nedry said, trying to hold back a laugh.

"It beats having financial debates."

"Touché."

Hammond was quiet for a few moments as he watched Nedry continue to pour over the paperwork.

"I just remember seeing you brought into the hospital and how horrible you looked…" He stopped when he saw Nedry run a hand through his hair, obviously embarrassed. "That cop, Mr. Contreras, he had arrested you."

"Do we have to go there?" Nedry refused to look at Hammond now.

"I saw the entire thing, from when he brought you in and when he argued with the nurses. Even when you were resting overnight and being guarded by a different police officer sitting outside of your room."

"You visited me in my sleep? How come you didn't wake me up?"

"I couldn't, they wouldn't permit visitors. I got a quick glimpse of you resting and bandaged up."

"You saw a lot."

"More than I should have, but either way, I saw enough to know that you shouldn't keep being punished over and over. That's why I spoke up in the courtroom. I don't want you being put away for something that you never intended and knowing that I had some health issues before that day." Hammond rose from the chair and resumed leaning on his cane for support.

Nedry tried to smile. It was good to see Hammond standing again, and not bedbound due to a severe stroke. "Thank you for speaking up…I'll do the best I can."

"That's all I'm asking for."

Hammond lingered for a little while longer watching Nedry prepare himself. There was no way he could understand the turbulent emotions Nedry was experiencing, but he hoped that this conversation was encouraging for him. Still, Hammond had a feeling it was best to leave him alone. He left Anderson's office and Malcolm came by a moment later.

"You're taking a huge risk, but just know that we'll be listening to everything," Malcolm said, standing in the doorway,

"I'll be sure to give you something to sink your teeth into."

"I have no doubt you will."

"Just keep applying that chaos theory, 'cause this situation is full of it."

Malcolm's face lit up at the mention of chaos theory. Just as quickly, his smile reversed itself and now he was frowning. "It is unpredictable, you're right." He knew Nedry was implying that he had no idea how this would end up for him or Henry Wu. "See you on the other side when you return."

"You got it."

He heard Malcolm leave Anderson's office. It was quiet for a few minutes. He needed silence to process everything, to prepare himself mentally. He thought Hammond and Malcolm were being kind in wishing him well, and he realized he needed to know that someone on the outside was thinking of him and what he was about to do. That he wasn't some disposable felon who once had a great career, but now had very little to his name except his nefarious reputation. I'm about to enter the lizard pen, he thought, holding in his derisive laughter. Rhymes with lion's den.

"What's so funny?" A bass voice asked from outside.

Nedry turned around as Muldoon came into Anderson's office, holding his fedora. "You like sneaking up on people, huh?"

"I'm giving you something to hold onto. Keep it under wraps."

Nedry held in his laughter when Muldoon removed a tiny blue InGen pin from his jacket.

"Stand up and hold out your arm."

Nedry did and watched as Muldoon pinned it to the cuff of his button-down shirt. Afterwards, he handed Nedry the gray jacket he would wear over the pin to conceal it. The jacket also covered three audio buttons that the police had already placed strategically.

"What is this, a Boy Scout badge? Geez, Robert, that's so sweet!" Nedry held up his arm, examining the InGen pin. "It's like saying "I survived Jurassic Park and all I have to show for it is this lousy pin"!"

Muldoon's stoic expression didn't change. "Are you always this bloody sarcastic?"

"Yes, I bloody am!"

"Just wear it and know that you have an entire team behind you. You're not on your own even though you're going out there by yourself. InGen's backing you up."

"Sitting around eavesdropping on my conversations hardly counts as 'back-up', but hey, whatever makes you feel better."

Muldoon was quiet for a moment before he responded. "You're not alone, Dennis." He glanced towards the doorway where Malcolm and Hammond had exited moments before and then turned to Nedry. "You have friends looking out for you."

Nedry became solemn as the weight of Muldoon's words sank in. It had been a long time since he had any friends. The last "friend" wanted nothing to do with him—Barney Fellows.

Of all the people in his entire lifetime, Muldoon was the least likely person who would ever be his friend. Even when they had worked together after their abduction, their cooperation had been forced and out of necessity to survive on Isla Sorna—but they weren't friends. Then again… Muldoon had defended him against Contreras' bullying the night they returned from Isla Sorna—in that sense, he had acted as a friend. While stranded on Isla Sorna, Nedry had got him out of the river in time to save him from drowning, so he had acted as a friend too. Still, the label never came up. After he had helped InGen to get rid of Biosyn—Muldoon had never called him a friend then, although he thanked Nedry for guiding Lawala to where he was now as the second warden of Jurassic Park. It wasn't friendship, but an unsaid mutual respect, a strange connection that didn't have an adequate label.

All the same, he tried not to let his voice reveal any emotion when he expressed his gratitude. "Thank you."

"You're a hell of a lot braver than you think," Muldoon said.

Nedry scoffed. "You think so?"

"I know so. You risked coming back to Isla Nublar that time knowing full well you weren't welcome there. You did it anyway."

"That was a dumb move on my part 'cause you shot me down."

Muldoon barely smiled when Nedry mentioned that part, although he remembered it very well. "I did, but you risked that to make sure we knew the truth. If you can return to an island by yourself, knowing everyone hated you, then you can take on Dodgson's group."

"You're very optimistic, Robert. I appreciate it."

"Don't thank me."

"Oh, I won't. Or rather, I'll thank you when it's all said and done."

Muldoon offered a curt nod and headed out. Just as he reached the door, he turned back once more. "What led to your decision?"

"To do this?" Nedry resumed sitting down at the desk and gestured at the papers he had been reading over.

"Yeah, I've been wondering."

"If I end up dying there; at least I'm dying doing something right. I told you I signed my death warrant when I agreed to this, and now, I'm about to drive to the execution chamber." Nedry busted out laughing.

Muldoon considered how to respond to Nedry's nervous laughter. "You're gonna get your new start when this is all over. I'll see you out there."

He referred to the back of the precinct where Anderson's team had the car ready that Nedry would use to drive out to Carlos and Charlie's. It was the only thing he could say, as he was starting to feel the same fear that Nedry kept trying to hide. He didn't want to openly state it as he thought it would worsen an already tense situation. It was why he tried to be positive for Nedry's sake once they left the courthouse. He sensed that Nedry felt no one understood the gravitas of the circumstances, or even appreciated the huge risk he was about to take. Nothing could be further from the truth as Muldoon respected his courage in undertaking a dangerous task. He wanted to be supportive in the best way possible—and that was to focus on how Nedry could have a brand-new start when this was all over.

"See you out there," Nedry said.

When he was certain Muldoon was gone, he rolled up the sleeve of his gray jacket. The blue and white InGen logo was now pinned to the cuff of the button-down shirt he wore underneath. Before folding the cuff over the pin, he stared at it for some time as Muldoon's words resonated in his mind: you have friends looking out for you.

oOo

Anderson came for him ten minutes after Muldoon left. "Are you ready?" He had purposely given Nedry time with everyone, and then, time by himself.

Nedry gave a silent thumbs-up to indicate he was ready and then followed Anderson out of his office and towards the back of the precinct. He glanced at his watch as he neared the exit. A quarter to midnight. Before long, they were outside at the parking lot. Anderson gave Nedry the car keys. Malcolm, Hammond, and Muldoon were already outside, and Anderson went to stand with them.

Nedry approached the car slowly by himself—a gray four door Nissan. He was not exaggerating when he told Muldoon he was driving to his execution chamber. For him, getting in that car was the same as heading to the death chamber, to be strapped to a gurney for lethal injection. He looked back and saw them watching him, their expressions unreadable. All their hopes—especially Hammond's—rested on his shoulders. Tremors of terror threatened to overtake him again. It wouldn't do him any good to feel afraid. Resigning himself to whatever happened within the next two hours, he gathered his nerves, opened the car door, and got in the driver's seat.

He reached for the keys and then stopped. Didn't Anderson say the two undercover police officers would tail him? Or were they already there? He was about to exit the car to ask Anderson and then decided against it. If he kept stalling, then he would never leave the parking lot. He had to do this, no matter how it would turn out. Whether Wu would agree to return to InGen or not, and whether he would be able to get more information recorded from the people he used to work with. If he could have a chance for a sentence reduction, to start his life over again…it was all up in the air, but now he had to go forward with it. Nedry turned the ignition key and the car rumbled to life. After looking back once more at everyone, he drove out of the parking lot.

oOo

He arrived at Carlos and Charlie's in Silicon Valley at midnight on the dot. Dodgson had suggested they meet here "for old times' sake". Nedry wasn't interested in the nostalgia, but if that's what Dodgson wanted, then so be it. Initially, he thought he'd meet him at the new office, but both Anderson and Malcolm agreed that Dodgson didn't want to give away the location. Everyone knew it was in Los Altos, but he chose the restaurant. Memories of planning the first theft, seeing the money in the suitcase, and being provided with the Barbasol shaving cream can used to deliver the embryos, flitted through Nedry's mind now as he got out of the car and approached the restaurant. Every few seconds, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder to scan the area. The lights, the parking lot, counting and recounting the cars including the one he drove in. Just to see if anything appeared…off.

He noticed the parking lot was empty except for his car and four others—a patron, the restaurant staff—and the two undercover police officers watching him? Anderson told him that the identities of undercover cops were a secret—even to those in the precinct including Anderson himself, so Nedry decided not to give it any further thought. He went inside the restaurant and the waitress escorted him to a booth.

As she walked him over, he saw a couple sitting across from each other in a booth, watching him. The man was large and muscular with thick eyebrows and tattoos on his neck; he wore a black bandana on his head. The woman looked petite. She wore her hair in a low bun with a headband. Both appeared to be Latino/Latina descent respectively. He tried not to stare back, but he wondered why they were staring at him. Maybe they were the undercover cops sent to keep an eye on him? Finally, he was seated at the booth where he hoped Dodgson would show up soon…

Five minutes passed.

No sign of Lewis Dodgson.

Forty minutes later. Still no sign.

Nedry let another half hour tick by. He looked at his watch. It was now 1:15 a.m. Nedry decided to wait fifteen more minutes. At 1:30 a.m., Nedry was still sitting by himself in the booth. He couldn't believe Dodgson stood him up. Anderson hadn't come up with a plan in case this happened. Nedry didn't know what to do, but he knew it was a waste of time to wait around any longer. He decided to leave the restaurant and return to the police precinct. He could explain to the officer on duty that he was working with Detective Corey Anderson and that the arranged meeting had failed because the other party failed to show up. They'd have to figure out another plan or contact Dodgson again to reschedule. He'd end up returning to his holding cell, but he figured that was better than waiting around doing nothing. As he walked back to the car, he saw someone familiar approaching him. Nedry squinted in disbelief.

It was Raúl Lopez. What shocked Nedry even more was that Lopez looked excited to see him—he was grinning from ear to ear.

oOo

"I know it's late out there, Ray, but I wanted to keep you in the loop."

"He's actually going through with it?!"

Muldoon sat at the desk in his hotel room, holding the phone to his ear. From hundreds of miles away, he could hear the shock in Arnold's voice. Muldoon had spent the past half hour catching him up on everything. He wondered if Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler had the same response when Malcolm shared with them everything going on. They were all in separate rooms and Malcolm had departed so that he could make a similar phone call to Grant and Ellie. Muldoon was certain Hammond was already asleep.

"Yeah, he is. Right now, as we speak, he's meeting with Dodgson at this restaurant called Carlos and Charlie's. He told us that's where they met when planning the first theft."

Arnold whistled. "Damn, that's crazy."

"He wasn't thrilled about any of this, but I can't blame him."

"After all the hell Dodgson put him through, he has my full respect for risking it all again—especially for Henry…" Arnold's voice trailed off as he yawned.

Muldoon was about to tell Arnold to get some sleep when another question popped up in his mind. "How are the interviews going with the job candidates?"

He traced his fingers on the desk, noting the material—mahogany veneered. It made him think of how inviting the furniture was in the hotel room, as opposed to the dark prison interrogation room where he had convinced Nedry to take on the dangerous task of extracting Wu from Dodgson's clutches.

"So far, we went through the first round. We have more people to interview, but so far Alan and Ellie agree that they're strong candidates. Donald will meet them soon, and then we will discuss it together. Back to Dennis though…wow, I gotta hand it to him…" He yawned again.

Muldoon didn't reveal that he was surprised by Arnold's statement. Arnold respecting Nedry was a big deal, but he didn't want to bring attention to it—not now. "You're tired. Get some rest and I'll call you tomorrow with any updates I have."

"Will do. Good night, Robert."

"Night."

Muldoon hung up the phone, but he couldn't go to sleep. He kept thinking of Nedry's expression when he drove out of the parking lot. He had that cornered look that Muldoon had seen in wounded animals when they were resigned to their fate. They would either fight back desperately or escape with every ounce of willpower they had. Fight or flight. Muldoon hoped it wouldn't come down to that for Nedry. By tomorrow, he would find out how everything had transpired. With any luck, he would be at the precinct tomorrow with Nedry, reviewing how everything went with Dodgson. Muldoon decided to get ready for bed. It had been a long day for everyone, and he was exhausted. Thankfully, there was tomorrow.

oOo

Nedry felt like an invisible cold sheet had been wrapped tightly around his body from head to toe. Lopez approached him, wearing a broad smile. The man had tried to kill him months ago and now he was happy to see him?! It didn't make sense at all. Unless he was there to try again and succeed this time. Lopez was never happy to see him, so something was off. They met in the middle of the parking lot. A nearby lamppost cast a sickly orange glow over them.

"What the hell are you doing out here, Raúl?" Nedry looked around the empty parking lot as though expecting Dodgson to appear out of thin air, and then focused on Lopez, remembering how their final fight was no holds barred. Everything went—including attempted murder. "You're here for Round Two?"

"I'd love to take you up on your offer, but Dr. Dodgson's looking forward to meeting with you. Besides, I thought you'd be happy to see me!"

"More like horrified."

"He sent me out to get you since he saw you leaving."

"Like hell he did."

Nedry glanced over his shoulder at the restaurant's exit. His heart skipped a beat when he recognized the Latino couple standing outside by the doorway, watching him and Lopez. It was the same muscular man and petite woman he had seen earlier, sitting in the booth. Now that he thought about it, he would've sworn he heard someone following him as he made his way to the restaurant's exit that led to the parking lot… What the hell's going on? Refusing to allow his fear to paralyze him, Nedry glanced at his car. If he could get in there, he'd be safe. It was several hundred feet away and Lopez stood in his path. He couldn't go back inside the restaurant now because that strange couple cut off his entrance to the doorway.

The desire to flee was the only thing he could think of.

Lopez showing up out of the blue was a warning sign in bright red lights. Then that weird couple who stared at him the entire time when he first entered the restaurant, and now they were outside obstructing his only escape route. That meant someone else from Biosyn was nearby. Nedry scanned the area and looked over his shoulder again. The couple made no move towards him, they simply stood there, watching everything. When he looked in front of him, Lopez's grin was plastic. Nedry shivered as icy chills rippled through his body. This wasn't good at all. He needed to get out of there.

"He was just in the restaurant, Dennis. Didn't you see him? He was sitting in one of the back booths."

"No, he wasn't. He never showed up and I'm leaving now."

Nedry started in the direction towards his car when Lopez stepped in front of him, blocking him from going further.

"He really wants to meet with you," Lopez said earnestly.

"Then where is he?!" Nedry was annoyed. He hated Lopez, and he hated even more that Lopez was lying to him. It was so obvious.

"Waiting for you to return so he can speak with you."

Nedry shook his head. "Nice try, but you can't bullshit a bullshitter."

"No, but Lewis Dodgson can." Lopez flashed a knowing smile.

At the last instant, Nedry heard the footsteps behind him, but it was too late.

Someone pressed a thick cloth with a sweet scent against his nose and mouth. His heart slammed against his chest and this time he felt achiness in his ribs. At the same time, he instinctively grabbed the hand firmly holding down the cloth, trying to pull it off him. When that didn't work, he kicked back at his attacker's legs, hoping to throw them off balance. The person lost their grip, and he was able to gulp down air for a split second. Then the cloth was clamped down harder, almost smothering him, so that when he breathed, the cloying scent flooded his senses. He clawed and punched the muscular arm that held the cloth in place, but it was like an ant trying to push a slab of meat. The attacker tightened their hold and forced his face into the cloth. Dizziness blanketed him and the parking lot spun around him crazily. He was barely aware of his glasses flying off and landing on the pavement.

"Damn it, this is taking forever. You should've used the entire bottle on him," Lopez complained.

"Be patient. This isn't the movies where it happens in five seconds."

The second voice sounded familiar to Nedry, but amid adrenaline pumping and his heart booming in his ears, he couldn't place who it was. He twisted and thrashed, trying to free himself, but his assailant never let up.

Shouting was futile as his voice was muffled. No one could hear him, and he doubted anyone saw what was going on. He found out quickly that he was wrong. A thin man with tinted glasses and wearing a yellow and gray jacket stood at the far end of the parking lot. Nedry caught a quick glimpse of the man and that was it. He hadn't seen him before. That man hadn't been in the restaurant. Then, the thin man appeared to approach him and Lopez—before abruptly turning around and walking away in the opposite direction.

Nedry's thought process was frazzled: who the hell was this guy? Was he with that bizarre couple? Why didn't any of them get help? The horrible feeling of loneliness washed over him now, bringing back memories of that horrific night in the jail cell when he knew nobody would intervene on his behalf. And just like that night, he was reminded that others took pleasure in tormenting him. Hearing his attacker speak directly to him was confirmation.

"Keep fighting. I can do this all night."

Lopez grinned as he watched Nedry struggling to free himself. He was beyond thrilled that he had a role in setting him up. "Where's Robert Muldoon now? Who's gonna save you this time?!"

Nedry's strength drained away—he was getting more tired from fighting a fight he knew he would lose—and the chloroform was doing its job. He was on the verge of collapsing. All he wanted to do was sleep now, but he struggled to stay awake. Despite the wave of fatigue sweeping over him, Lopez's taunts energized him. Nedry mustered what little strength he had left and kicked desperately to show Lopez that he wasn't going down without a fight. His sneaker connected hard with Lopez's shin and the grunt of pain that followed gave him a trace of satisfaction.

"You son of a bitch!" Lopez snarled.

Nedry would've laughed at him if it weren't for the cloth firmly placed on his face. What he heard next chilled his blood.

"The more they struggle, the more satisfying the kill. Or capture, in this case."

He finally recognized his attacker's voice: Roland Tembo. Only Tembo would say something that amounted to enjoyment at cornering his prey; it demonstrated his predatory nature. He still heard them talking, laughing and mocking him, but now the fight in him was slowly fading. He tried again to punch Tembo's hand that covered his face, but he could barely lift his arms. They dangled at his sides, useless. He thought he heard a vehicle driving up, wheels squealing, and doors slamming. His eyes were heavy, and he couldn't tell if it was a van or truck that pulled up. His body was starting to go limp as his legs crumpled beneath him.

"Breathe it all in, you're almost there…"

The hatred in Tembo's voice was powerful, although he sounded far away. Nedry was barely conscious when numerous hands seized him, dragging him forward. A woman shouted, "hurry up!" but her voice sounded distorted and slowed down. At the same moment, he was being pinned face down on a cold metal surface by people he couldn't see. He wanted to kick his attackers, but he could barely lift his legs. The sharp prick of a needle jabbed the side of his neck. The words "just a precaution" floated around him, stretched, and sounding nonsensical: jussss-aaa-preeee-caaaw-shinnn. He had no idea where they were taking him. Nor did he know that Henry Wu was also in the van, searching for another syringe in case he woke up from the first injection. The sheet of blackness finally descended upon him, allowing him to temporarily escape the beginning of his nightmare.

"Some people think that the truth can be hidden with a little cover-up and decoration. But as time goes by, what is true is revealed, and what is fake fades away." - Ismail Haniyeh

oOo

"Cards on the table," Corey Anderson said as he closed the door to his office and came to sit behind his desk.

He looked at the three men sitting across from him, who waited expectantly. Anderson knew the first thing they wanted to ask about was Dennis Nedry. Had Anderson heard anything? Was Dennis still alive? Did he manage to get any information? The answers to those questions could wait—Anderson knew Nedry was alive—he had managed to listen to some of the recordings earlier. Before he delved into Nedry's situation though, he wanted to find out more information about InGen…

There was something important that nobody was saying outright. He had sensed for some time that they were tiptoeing around the truth about the "biological preserve" John Hammond owned, but now he wanted to know everything. Which animal did Dennis Nedry release that led to Hammond's stroke? Why were they secretive when they talked about this biological preserve? How many people knew the truth about it? To do his job, he needed to know all the information. Being that he had already demonstrated a willingness to help them, he hoped that they would be transparent with him.

"This is Dennis' written statement. He provided a lot of information, but there are blanks in several places."

Anderson held up the first page that showed Nedry's angular handwriting. Hammond saw the blanks in the paragraphs that he referred to.

"I'm thinking you all know the information to fill in the blanks which leads me to this: I need to know what the secret is behind your biological preserve, John. I want to have a better understanding as to why Biosyn always targets your company." He went through the papers and showed the other side of the second page, which had more blanks. "Dennis' confession is very informative, but there's parts where he's vague as to what InGen does."

Anderson stopped and noticed Ian Malcolm and Robert Muldoon looking at Hammond who sat between them. Hammond stared at the top of his cane: the amber that held a mosquito preserved inside.

"Whatever information you give me will be the missing puzzles pieces so that I have a full picture of everything." He picked up three papers from his desk and gave one to each man. "Below are the sentences where he left blanks. I need you to tell me what information is missing before we can proceed forward."

1. His charm worked on me because I was fed up with John, InGen and the  _  project .

2. He asked if I could defeat security to obtain what he wanted which were  _ .

3. He demanded I get him a second batch of  _ .

4. I couldn't because George Lawala had gotten injured by a  _  that spits, so I addressed that with the park staff.

5. The third time, I released the  _  and this ended horribly.

6. He left his bungalow and headed to the  _  and I followed him.

7. Robert and Dr. Grant shot two  _ , but there was still one out of the pen, and it was coming straight for John.

8. He had blood all over his face from our fight and the  _  attacking him which would eventually leave scars.

9. Now he wanted to take the island and  _  by force.

Malcolm and Muldoon studied the sentences on the papers, while Hammond looked quickly at Anderson and then turned his head to the left to stare at the wall with various newspaper clippings. It was obvious that Hammond wanted to distract himself, and if possible, remove himself from the situation. Anderson could tell Hammond felt apprehensive, but he didn't understand why. What was Hammond hiding? Was he upset that Anderson wanted more information? Malcolm was the first to speak up as he took out a pen from his pocket and clicked it so that he could begin writing.

"I'm gonna go through the trouble of filling this in for you. I haven't read the full statement, but the answers are clear." Malcolm regarded Hammond now. "First comes first though. John, we need to let Detective Anderson in on what InGen does."

Hammond turned to him, shaking his head. "No, Jura—the park isn't even open to the world yet."

"You can't keep this a secret. He needs to know everything so that it all makes sense."

"What Dr. Malcolm said is correct. Whatever it is that InGen does will stay in this room. I will hold it in confidence. I just need to have a better understanding as to why Dodgson continues to target your company—especially your staff. What is the significance of Henry Wu? Who is he and what's his position in your company?"

A long silence passed. It was interrupted by Hammond's reluctant sigh.

"I founded International Genetics years ago. My company specializes in genetic engineering. Henry Wu was my chief geneticist." Hammond placed his cane on his lap. "He was my miracle worker."

"Okay…" Anderson wasn't sure which direction Hammond was going in, but he decided to maintain an open mind.

"We focus on prehistoric life."

"Meaning…?"

"Might as well come out and say it, John," Malcolm interrupted. He turned to Anderson now. "InGen has been cloning dinosaurs."

There was a long period of silence. Muldoon had been studying the sentences on the paper and looked up when he saw nobody speaking. Right away, he saw sheer disbelief written all over Anderson's face. Anderson stared, dumbfounded, his eyebrows furrowed from confusion and disbelief. In fact, Anderson could only sum up his shock in one word.

"What?!" He didn't think he heard right. Dinosaurs?! How in the hell—

"InGen's work has been cloning dinosaurs by finding dinosaur blood within mosquitoes. These mosquitos have been fossilized in amber," Malcolm explained. "Show him."

Hammond handed him his cane and Malcolm passed it to Anderson. Anderson reached across the desk and took Hammond's cane. He turned it over and studied the amber atop the cane and now he was able to see the mosquito inside. He tapped on the solid amber and tried to imagine seeing a dinosaur—a real life dinosaur—in front of his eyes. And all from the blood of a mosquito? A mosquito fossilized by amber? It sounded like a wild science-fiction premise. Anderson thought of his niece and how much she loved dinosaurs, how he had brought her a collection of toys of different types…tyrannosaur rex, stegosaurus, triceratops…

"So, if you made these dinosaurs," Anderson said slowly, still trying to comprehend what Malcolm had just told him, "Where do you keep them?"

"Jurassic Park," Muldoon answered.

Anderson slowly nodded and passed Hammond's cane back to Malcolm, who turned it over to Hammond again. Surprisingly, Hammond was silent about everything.

"It's a park setting on an island?"

"Yes." Muldoon remained deadpan.

"Where's the island?"

Finally, Hammond spoke. "I leased an island off the coast of Costa Rica. Isla Nublar. That's where I built Jurassic Park."

"And these are real dinosaurs?" Anderson asked to be sure. It sounded wild and fictitious—too good to be true, or too out there to be believed.

"As real as Henry tried to make them. He's my—he was my chief geneticist," Hammond quickly amended his words. "He used frog DNA and other techniques, but he was able to clone a dinosaur—quite a few, in fact."

"And Dodgson has been targeting InGen because he wants your technology?" Anderson was starting to understand now.

"Exactly," Muldoon said. "InGen is years ahead of Biosyn—they're competing companies. Dodgson is—or was—from Biosyn."

"I see…" Anderson reread the first few paragraphs of Nedry's statement. Now it made sense. "So, based on what you're all telling me, let's fill in these blanks. I'll put them in on the statement Dennis wrote." He had a copy of Nedry's written statement with the corresponding numbers on the blanks.

"Here you go," Malcolm handed him his paper.

1. His charm worked on me because I was fed up with John, InGen and the  Jurassic Park project.

2. He asked if I could defeat security to obtain what he wanted, which were  dinosaur embryos .

3. He demanded I get him a second batch of  dinosaur embryos .

4. I couldn't because George Lawala had gotten injured by a dilophosaur that spits, so I addressed that with the park staff.

5. The third time, I released the  raptors, and this ended very horribly.

6. He left his bungalow and headed to the raptor pen, and I followed him.

7. Robert and Dr. Grant shot two  raptors , but there was still one out of the pen, and it was coming straight for John.

8. He had blood all over his face from our fight and the raptor attacking him which would eventually leave scars.

9. Now he wanted to take the island and  Jurassic Park  by force.

Anderson filled in the blanks and scanned the papers. "I'm gonna read this aloud and then I want to know from all of you what Dennis wrote here—if it's true, false, exaggerated, a pack of lies, accurate—you get the picture."

Malcolm and Muldoon sat up in their chairs, ready to hear the statement, while Hammond stared at his cane, concentrating hard. Anderson began reading Nedry's statement aloud. Every now and then, he would look over to see their reactions. Several times, he saw Muldoon nodding, especially when his name was mentioned. To Anderson, this meant Muldoon was confirming that what Nedry wrote was true. Malcolm tilted his head in thought as he considered everything. Hammond sighed sadly as though pained that in hearing the written confession aloud, he was forced to relive everything—finding out Nedry's betrayal, the argument outside by the raptor pen, his stroke…When Anderson finished, he placed the papers face down on his desk.

"What do you guys think?"

"It's true—every bloody word of it," Muldoon said. He looked as though he was fishing for his alcohol-filled flask. Since he didn't have one with him, he folded his arms across his chest. "Everything he wrote in that statement happened."

"You and Ray catching him red-handed? Even the fights you had?"

"All of it." Muldoon nodded.

"Interesting…" Anderson murmured as he turned over one page.

"He put in a surprising amount of detail," Malcolm said.

"He did and that's good because it gives us a lot to work with."

"There's a lot more, but we can fill in the blanks, so to speak."

"That would be helpful." Anderson now turned to Hammond, who appeared pale and fidgety. "Are you alright, John?"

"It's a lot, hearing it all written down like that."

"It is, but it's good that he wrote it down—and that he accepted responsibility for his actions." At this, everyone agreed. Anderson decided to take a break so that everyone could come down from the heaviness of what they just discussed. "Why don't we break for lunch and meet me back here in an hour?"

Muldoon and Malcolm whole-heartedly agreed as they stood up. They gently prodded Hammond to join them.

"We can reach out to Alan and Ellie to see how the interviews are going," Malcolm suggested.

Anderson observed that Hammond appeared lost in his thoughts—or bad memories. He didn't respond to what Malcolm mentioned about the interviews. Upon further reflection, Anderson realized now that much of what Nedry wrote was a reminder of everything that had already happened—what led up to his hospitalization and what happened after. He figured Hammond was still processing Nedry's and Wu's betrayal. Before they left his office, Muldoon turned around.

"Before we go—did you ever find out what happened to Dennis? Were you able to get any information from his audio bugs?"

Anderson waited several seconds before responding. There was no good way to explain what had happened last night. "Yes, I did. I also checked on the car again. It has only his fingerprints. None of the car's bugs picked up anything, so he had to be out of the car when they ambushed him."

Hammond dropped his cane in shock and Malcolm bent down to retrieve it. "They ambushed him?!"

Anderson watched Malcolm give Hammond his cane. It was terrible news, but they all knew it had happened. Hearing actual confirmation of it was an entirely different experience.

"They did and we have the recordings to prove it. We're in the process of getting everything transcribed."

"They?!" Muldoon and Malcolm asked at the same time.

"I listened to it just before you all arrived. Dodgson set him up, and more than one person was involved."

"Who?" Muldoon kept pressing for more information. He had a gut feeling about who was involved.

"I'll have to listen to it again, but Dennis named one of his attackers— 'Raúl'. In a later conversation, Henry mentions 'Roland'."

"Bloody hell," Muldoon whispered, shaking his head. "Of all the people he had to run into that night…"

Anderson looked at Malcolm now, uncertain about Muldoon's reaction. Malcolm stood in the doorway with Hammond, one foot in Anderson's office, and the other foot outside. It made Anderson wonder as to what was behind Malcolm's thoughtful expression. Malcolm seemed to read his mind and offered him a quick explanation.

"The short story is that Raúl Lopez and Roland Tembo hate Dennis Nedry with an undying passion—and he hates them right back. They're Dodgson's most loyal employees and their viciousness tops the charts. They've tried to kill Dennis on two different occasions—separately—not teamed up like this. That's what makes this situation worse."

Anderson thought about the two times Malcolm referred to: Dodgson hiring Tembo to kill Nedry to stop him from warning InGen and Muldoon stopping Lopez from shooting Nedry in the nick of time. As he thought about it, he remembered Nedry mentioning Tembo as one of the men who was sent to kill him. It was also in his written statement. The revelation effected all three men from InGen: Muldoon was downcast as he stared at the floor and Malcolm's pensiveness was starting to show as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Hammond was taking it to the hardest as he was still shaking his head in disbelief.

"We know he's alive because the bugs are picking up his conversations—so let's remain hopeful." Anderson thought for a moment and then added the last part, hoping it would give them some consolation: "At the very least, all of Dodgson's associates are facing kidnapping charges for seizing Dennis. They already have an uphill battle when the day comes for them to face a judge and jury."

They didn't say anything as they quietly left Anderson's office. As he watched them leave, Anderson hoped they would continue to collaborate with him. The cards were on the table now—insofar as understanding and knowing the mystery behind Hammond's company—and finding out what happened the night Nedry left to begin his work as a confidential informant.

oOo

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!" Raúl Lopez dumped a large bucket of icy water on Nedry, who appeared to be sleeping calmly.

Nedry was now wide awake, whereas before he had been resting. It was tempting to fall asleep, but he knew he had to keep his guard up. At the very least, he could close his eyes and try to rest—but then Lopez forced him awake. He shivered as the cold water soaked through his clothes.

"What the hell? What time is it?"

He squirmed in the gurney, trying to get his bearings. Being trapped in the freezing basement was bad enough and the icy water made it worse. It felt like he had bathed in the beach on a winter day. His jacket didn't keep him warm, especially not with ice cold water soaked through. Thankfully, Anderson had told him the hidden recording devices were waterproof, otherwise everything he did going forward would be a waste. Malicious actions like this made him realize they were trying to break him mentally. He didn't know if this slow torture was worse or if enduring another gang beating would be better. As though they had read his mind about slow torture, Tembo and Lopez exchanged a knowing look.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Lopez asked.

"I believe so," Tembo said, his mouth curling into a cruel grin.

"Waterboarding," they said at the same time.

Sonya Durant laughed, completely entertained. "I can totally picture it! Can't you, Denny?"

Nedry forced himself not to give them the reaction they were looking for. He was still shivering from the cold—and the fear of them carrying out waterboarding to torture him further. At times like this, he wished he had refused the possibility of sentence commutation and just accepted whatever sentence Judge Hoskins gave him. Then he'd argue with himself: it was better to deal with this temporary situation, no matter how awful and terrifying, if it meant he'd be free one day. He constantly went in circles inside his mind about it. Shoving those thoughts aside, Nedry looked up, forcing himself to be alert to whatever they planned to do.

They always ganged up on him. Just yesterday Sonya joked that he was the "human dart board" while Tembo purposely shot darts close to him—and at him. Now they were talking about waterboarding. He wouldn't put anything past them. They were completely loyal to Dodgson, which meant they were willing to do anything to anyone they perceived as a threat. Especially if it was Nedry or anyone from InGen. He didn't know what to expect for today or the rest of the time he was here.

Sonya pulled up two chairs. She and Tembo sat on either side of Lopez now, who was situated at the head of the gurney. It gave Nedry the impression that they planned to guard him for the day. Henry Wu, George Baselton, and Howard King rarely got involved in their antics. George Lawala had the decency and common sense to leave Biosyn and Nedry was glad he helped him switch over to InGen. If only getting Wu to return to InGen was as simple…

"Time for you to take a walk down Memory Lane," Lopez said, changing the topic.

"Why?" Nedry was surprised but went along with it. Maybe the idiots will tattle on themselves without me pulling information out of them. It was info he already knew and had written about in his statement, but Anderson had told him it would be even more damning if they voiced it aloud themselves. That was the rationale for Nedry being there—aside from trying to get Wu to return.

"Is the door locked?" Sonya asked. "We don't want any rude interruptions."

"It's locked." Tembo pointed to the basement door. "No one's getting in—not even Henry. We don't want him crashing our party. Dr. Dodgson can come in whenever he feels like it."

"Am I supposed to feel disappointed or sad that no one else is joining our party?" Nedry asked with his teeth chattering.

"Feel whatever you like, no one cares," Lopez responded for Tembo. "Let's begin. Dr. Dodgson hired us because of our perspective fields."

"I know this already, so I'm going back to sleep." Nedry pretended to go to sleep, knowing it would infuriate Lopez. "But go ahead, state your name and field. Let's be official about it." Surprisingly enough, Lopez didn't get angry and followed the suggestion.

"Raúl Lopez, paleontologist."

"Sonya Durant, guide and mercenary."

"Roland Tembo, the same: guide and mercenary."

"Don't you all feel so important." This was a good start and would corroborate with the written statement he had given Anderson. "Can I say my name too?"

"No, Dennis," Tembo said, "we know you as a backstabbing traitorous hacker, and that's all you are. See, I said it for you."

Nedry shrugged. "Fine, be that way."

He saw them watching him. If he had to use one word to describe them, it would be ravenous. If they were starving lions, then he was the zebra that they couldn't wait to devour alive. Rip limb from limb, tear him to pieces… Teeth still chattering, he rid himself of that awful image. He needed to distract himself. Glancing around the basement, he was surprised at how empty it was. Was he in Biosyn's Cupertino headquarters or the new one that Anderson had told him about—the Los Altos office? He remembered Lewis Dodgson having an animal unit, but there wasn't one here. Then again, didn't they get fired and forced to leave the Cupertino site? Maybe in time, he could work his way up to that occurrence.

"So, what did you all do? We know you played with bones in the desert, Lopez. What about The Hunter and The Huntress?"

Sonya and Lopez exchanged an annoyed glance. "This is more about the times you shitted on Dodgson and less about our careers," he clarified.

"Then why did you say your names and titles. You need to feel important?"

"You just told us to," Sonya said.

"And you listened to me?" Nedry burst out laughing. "I guess you guys trust me more than you think."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Lopez made a slashing motion indicating for Sonya to stop. "No, we don't trust you—we're making sure you don't get away with your garbage this time."

Nedry sunk back into the gurney and flashed an exaggerated puzzled expression with his eyebrows knitted together. "Get away with what? I have no clue what you mean."

Lopez bolted up from his chair and stood over the gurney. He snatched the scalpel on the tray and held it to Nedry's face. "Last time you were with us, you pretended to suck up to Dr. Dodgson and then backstabbed him."

"When was this?"

"You know when, don't play stupid with me."

"I've lost count of how many times I was a traitorous asshole. You gotta remind me."

Lopez started tracing the scalpel along Nedry's jaw. "When we took over Isla Nublar and that annoying mathematician bailed you out."

"You mean you invaded InGen's island as Dodgson originally planned? Remember that meeting?"

"I remember telling you off," Tembo said, standing up and nearing Lopez. "Slice off the extra fat on the team."

"I remember your failed hit on me. That was so lame," Nedry said, trying to lessen his teeth chattering while watching the scalpel that Lopez was tracing along the left side of his face now. He had hoped Tembo would take the bait, but he didn't. Tembo seemed immune to Nedry's attempts to get him to talk further.

"To get back on track and to answer your question, Dr. Dodgson pretended to be an InGen board director to get his foot through the door." Lopez chortled. "From there, he started to get to know the staff, their weaknesses, and how to divide them."

"When did that happen?"

"You know the answer, you're just pretending to be thick. With Muldoon gone, it was easy to do. How convenient it was that we found him guarding you in Hammond's bungalow. Get rid of two InGen puppets for the price of one. We kindly dropped you both off at Isla Sorna where you stayed for two months."

"Hmm, Robert and I didn't volunteer to go there. We had no idea it was happening until we were there." Nedry offered a wide grin.

"Too bad," Lopez said flatly. He looked up at Tembo, who was frowning, deep in thought.

"But when did you get to Isla Nublar? I must've missed this. Either that or my memory sucks."

"We got there the next morning after you and Robert Muldoon returned—we had been on stand-by the entire time. By then you had already been arrested and were sitting in a Costa Rican jail cell. How were your accommodations?"

"Way better than this, but I'm not complaining." Nedry pretended to get comfortable in the gurney.

"We were hoping the compys would get you guys or that you'd both kill each other on Isla Sorna. Imagine Dr. Dodgson's shock when you both returned."

"I enjoy imagining your tears when you found out we were still breathing. Must've been a very sad day for you."

Lopez threw the scalpel back on the tray and punched him in the face. "Shut the hell up, Dennis."

Nedry licked the blood that leaked from his mouth. "I really am among friends. Let's continue this stroll down Memory Lane, I'm enjoying this." It's so easy to get Lopez to talk…

"What I really enjoyed was seeing Robert kick your ass the same day Hammond went to the hospital."

"Why was he kicking my ass? And I recall kicking his ass too. It was mutual and not one-sided as you wish it was. Selective memory—haha!"

"We captured not one, but two velociraptors that day. All your whining before that day was for nothing," Lopez said, toying with the gurney's straps. "The biggest thing you had to worry about was that pissed off park warden coming after you—and you know damn well why he was kicking your ass."

"You really enjoyed that, huh?"

"It's a tie with seeing you in cuffs after getting caught by the police—and beating the living shit out of you in that cell. Setting you up the other night—I haven't laughed so hard in a long time."

"If the highlights of your life are seeing me in handcuffs, punching me in the face, and participating in kidnapping me, that doesn't leave much room for your beloved dead lizards, does it?"

Lopez blinked when he realized the weight—and truth behind Nedry's words. Then he sneered and grabbed the scalpel again, pointing it in his direction.

"Listen, you little convict, I would pay good money to relive all three again: seeing you humiliated as the cops dragged you off, beating you up until you choke on your own blood, and snatching you off the streets. If you noticed, Dodgson hasn't asked Hammond or whatever cops you're working with to pay ransom. Wanna know why?"

Nedry shrugged, uninterested.

"It's because you're worthless to him and all of us." Lopez tossed the scalpel on the tray.

"And yet, he was so determined to have his brood of vipers abduct me just so that he can talk to me."

"After you betrayed him for the umpteenth time, he wanted to handle you in his own way. We just helped him out."

"So now you're admitting that all of you brought me back here against my will," Nedry countered. "Brilliant."

He was overjoyed at how much info Lopez had voiced and confirmed without realizing it. It was choppy and disconnected, but it was out there and being recorded. He needed to keep them talking about everything related to him and InGen.

"I'm so honored to live rent free in your head, Raúl!"

Lopez was about to respond when Sonya cut him off. "It's my turn, you can't have all the fun." She stood up, joining Tembo and Lopez. "I remember our first heist—that was the best one."

"What was your favorite part?" Nedry asked.

"Hmmm…" Sonya circled the gurney as she thought about it. Tembo and Lopez remained in place, watching her. "Having Howard pose for someone taking your position on the island. Scaring the hell out of Dr. Malcolm and Ray Arnold. Don Gennaro running off scared—I think we made him piss his pants. It was behind the visitor center, something like that. I don't think I tangled with Blondie that day—not yet. That was after we took over the park. I loved destroying her plant sanctuary, that stupid greenhouse!"

"Why did you hate Dr. Sattler anyway? What did she ever do to you?"

"Dr. Dodgson…" Sonya started, but then stopped herself.

"Thought she was pretty? That's why you picked on her?!" Nedry tsk-tsked. "You're so petty!"

"It was all fun and games picking on her." Sonya said, tossing her hair with exaggerated emphasis.

"Until Dr. Sattler beat the shit out of you!" Nedry said, not holding back a dark laugh. "Good times for sure!"

"I would rip out your tongue, but I enjoy hearing you run your big mouth, Denny," Sonya said, still circling the gurney. "Back to what I was saying— Dr. Sattler was elsewhere. Who messed with her and Dr. Grant that day?"

"That was Lawala," Tembo snapped. He didn't bother to mention that he had been with Lawala that day. Tembo had been observing everything and finally made up his mind about what needed to be done.

Sonya paused mid-step, turning to glance questioningly at Tembo. "Why are you pissed off? These were good times! I get it, you're missing our Georgie."

"It has nothing to do with that traitorous scum who abandoned us to join InGen." Tembo rushed over to a nearby desk. He pulled open three drawers before he found what he was looking for.

"Whenever you're ready to share your knowledge with us, Roland," Sonya pressed. "Sometime today?"

"We have no proof that Lawala is with InGen," Lopez said.

Tembo didn't respond to either of them as he came back with a roll of duct tape and a small flashlight. He shoved the flashlight in Sonya's hands, and she put it in her pocket. Wasting no time, he tore off a piece of duct tape and slapped it on Nedry's mouth. He turned to Lopez and Sonya while pointing at Nedry like a prosecutor pointing at a guilty defendant.

"Do you both have any clue what he's doing? Because it's clear as day from my vantage point."

Sonya shook her head, confused. Lopez waited, expecting Tembo to answer his own question. Nedry looked bored as though he couldn't wait for the day to be over.

"The sneaky bastard is trying to get us to talk and reveal information. We need to search him thoroughly."

"What?!" Sonya looked from Tembo to Nedry. "We're just reminiscing!"

"That's what you're doing—that's not what he's doing. Why do you think he didn't mind when you threatened to call the police on him?"

Lopez and Sonya exchanged a puzzled glance, expecting the other to have the answer. Tembo shook his head, frustrated that they were oblivious to what was obvious to him.

"Because he's working with them! He has a recording device on him, I'm sure of it."

Tembo threw the duct tape on the chair he had been sitting on earlier and gave clear directions. He turned to Nedry who although he couldn't respond verbally, appeared surprised by the accusations.

"Don't give me that I-have-no-idea-what-you're-talking-about look, Dennis. I'm too smart to play your childish games. Cat-who-ate-the-canary fits you better." He pointed at Lopez. "Keep my shotgun trained on him so that if he resists, he gets pumped full of darts." Then he turned to Sonya. "You'll undo the straps when I tell you to."

Sonya nodded as Lopez picked up Tembo's shotgun and aimed at Nedry.

Tembo locked eyes with Nedry as he decided where to start. "Start with the legs, Sonya."

Sonya loosened and unbuckled the straps on his ankles and legs. Nedry started to move his leg and froze when Tembo barked at him:

"Kick me and you get a dart in each leg."

Nedry shrugged and watched as Tembo patted his legs down, searching for a recording device, a wire—anything that indicated surveillance material. He made sure to be thorough—he ripped off Nedry's sneakers and examined them, inside out. Nedry made protesting noises that were muffled. Tembo figured Nedry was asking why he was looking for a wire in his sneaker—obviously it wouldn't be there. It didn't matter—Tembo wanted Nedry to know he was onto him. Tossing the sneakers on the floor, Tembo patted down his legs. He rolled up one pants leg, yanked it down, and then rolled up the other pants leg, scanned quickly before pulling it down. When he was finished, he gestured to Sonya to fasten the straps again. As he continued to search, Tembo explained what he was doing.

"It's not a coincidence that he's here after we ran into him at that sports bar. The chances of him helping the police to get a lighter sentence for himself are quite high. I've never trusted Dennis back then and certainly not now. We must take all precautions to protect Dr. Dodgson's interests. He's got something on him recording us—I know it."

He turned to Sonya and Lopez. Both stared blankly at him, speechless and baffled by what he implied. His impatience nearly erupted and he forced himself to hold back. Shaking his head in frustration that they didn't understand or refused to believe him, he continued to search. Nothing would deter him. Next were the arms. Tembo was taking no chances. Sonya obliged and undid the straps. He repeated the same procedure, this time rolling up the right sleeve before yanking it back in place. Again, nothing unusual. The same with the left arm—except Tembo noticed the long scar and left the sleeve rolled up.

"Someone left their mark on you behind the walls. Take a look." He gestured to Lopez and Sonya to come over, so they could see it.

"Someone really loves you," Sonya said, tracing her finger along the scar.

"Or hates you with a passion," Lopez added, smirking. "They have the right idea."

Tembo ripped off the duct tape on his mouth. "Who did this to you? Or maybe the better question is, who did you piss off?"

"I don't know. Must've happened when I was asleep." Nedry wasn't fazed. "When I get out, I'll get a tattoo over it."

"What will it say?"

Nedry smirked. "In giant bubble letters: Roland loves Dennis, Always and Forever."

Tembo shot him an angry glare as he pulled down the left sleeve. He ignored Nedry laughing in the background. Lopez sighed in annoyance and Sonya remained deadpan as she grabbed the duct tape from the chair and tore off a new piece.

"Tired of your annoying laugh, Denny. Better for you to keep your mouth shut." She smacked it on Nedry's mouth. He appeared amused as his shoulders shook in silent laughter.

Tembo stepped back as he thought of where he could search next. "We're not done yet," he said, frisking Nedry's chest and shoulders—nothing unusual turned up. "Unzip your jacket and unbutton your shirt—the top portion—and don't touch the duct tape."

Nedry complied while Tembo patted around, determined to find something that would prove his point. He clenched his teeth in frustration—there had to be a wire. Before Tembo told him to, Nedry buttoned up his shirt and zipped up his gray jacket.

"Pretending to be modest," Tembo growled angrily. He took a step back, wondering what he had missed. He thought of examining more thoroughly but realized that he had already checked all the typical places where a hidden mic or listening device would be concealed. Then it occurred to him: one last place. "Open your mouth."

Nedry sent him a long hard look, obviously annoyed. His expression told Tembo, I can't open my mouth with this stupid duct tape, genius. Sonya ripped it off before Tembo asked her.

"Perfect. Now open."

Nedry closed his eyes and obeyed Tembo's command, although every part of him wanted to resist. While Tembo searched, a door opened and closed. He was too busy and didn't bother to look in that direction.

"Sonya, pass me the flashlight." She placed it in his open palm. Turning it on, he grabbed Nedry's jaw with one hand and with the other held up the flashlight. "Prison inmates have been known to carry razor blades in their mouths. Given his status as a convicted felon, I wouldn't expect any less from him. It takes seconds to spit that razor out."

Nedry started to shake his head and close his mouth when Tembo's grip tightened on his jaw. This was beyond humiliating.

"I'll break your jaw if you bite my fingers."

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Tembo let go of Nedry and whipped around, ready to respond to the intrusion. Henry Wu stood behind him, his dark eyes flickering to everyone in the room. He couldn't believe what he had walked into. Sonya quickly fastened the straps and Lopez put down Tembo's shotgun on a nearby chair.

"I thought you said the door was locked, Roland," Lopez said, rushing to check the door to see how Wu had managed to get inside the room, undetected.

"I have a key," Wu said, fishing it out of his pocket and then putting it right back. He turned to Tembo and ignored Lopez's questioning stare. "You didn't answer my question—what the hell are you doing?"

"Protecting Dr. Dodgson's interests," Tembo sneered at him. "What're you doing?"

"Delivering a message. Dr. Dodgson wants to meet with you three in the conference room."

"About what?"

"He didn't tell me." Wu remained impassive. "He wants you there now."

"And you? Doesn't he expect you to be there?"

"I already spoke with him."

Tembo looked from Nedry to Wu and shook his head. "I know what's going on here; you both are fooling yourselves if you think Dr. Dodgson doesn't know."

Wu and Nedry exchanged a questioning glance, but neither said anything to defend themselves or deny Tembo's vague accusations.

"Let's go," Tembo said, glaring at Nedry the entire time. "Don't think you got away with anything. It's only a matter of time before we find out the truth about what you're doing and why you're here."

Sonya and Lopez followed him out of the basement. Neither one spoke a word to Wu or Nedry. Before long, the door was slammed closed. Now, it was only them.

Wu placed a chair to put under the doorknob—an extra precaution to ensure they couldn't return—for now. He saw Nedry's sneakers on the floor and fitted them on his feet.

"Thanks, your timing is perfect," Nedry muttered as Wu finished tying his right sneaker's shoelaces and then started on his left sneaker.

Wu didn't glance at him. "You're not welcome."

"Did you think about what we talked about last time? Returning to InGen?"

"My place is here, with Biosyn and Lewis Dodgson."

"But what're you doing here that's so special? Are you creating new lizards for him? Do you have your own labs? Where do you work out of?"

"Why do you care so damn much?" Wu leaned against the wall near the gurney and folded his arms across his chest, indicating he was closed off. It was a typical gesture from him. "You ask too many stupid questions."

"Because…" Nedry searched for the right words. Usually, this was easy for him, but he sensed Wu had put up an emotional wall. "What's he doing for you?"

"He understands my passion for genetics."

"Hammond does too, that's why he hired you."

"Dr. Dodgson plans to elevate my career."

Nedry looked left and right at the small confines of the basement room—his prison. "Elevate you, while you spend time with me in a freezing basement? How does that work?" He was serious at first and then cracked up laughing. "Make it make sense, Henry!"

Wu was ready to respond and then became quiet.

"Looks like Dodgson's dragged you down to the lowest version of yourself. That's very sad, but I get it. I've been there."

"You drag everyone down, Dennis. You dragged InGen down, and now you're doing the same thing with Biosyn. It's why Dodgson plans to have a personal talk with you."

"So, I dragged you all down and yet…" Nedry shrugged, unsure of where Wu was going with that statement.

"I'm still the chief geneticist of InGen and I'll always be the Miracle Worker of Jurassic Park!" Wu placed a hand on his chest, indicating his pride. "Nothing you do will ever change that."

"Then why are you here and not there? Why aren't you at Isla Nublar?"

For the second time, Wu opened his mouth to respond and then closed his mouth, uncertain of how to answer.

"You're the chief geneticist of Dodgson's bullshit and you're the miracle worker of this dingy basement." Nedry motioned with his head. "That's it. Until you make the right decision—and the decision you know you want to make—"

Wu left his spot and approached the gurney. "And that is?"

"To return to InGen. You have two choices: A: stay miserable with your brood of vipers doing absolutely nothing or B: go back to the company where you started being a true miracle worker—finish how you started."

Wu laughed coldly. "And throw out my dreams?"

"What dreams?"

"I'm not telling you so that you can laugh and mock me. I'm not as stupid as you think."

There was a long period of silence where both men simply stared at each other. Wu kept his fists clenched. It was the only nonverbal gesture that gave away his anger. Strangely enough, he didn't know understand his own furious reaction. Nedry hoped he was getting through to him. Today, he was taking a more forceful, in-your-face approach.

"You want to be known for your accomplishments, right?"

Wu refused to acknowledge what Nedry said. He stayed silent, although every part of him wanted to voice agreement.

"You won't get the fame you want hanging around Lewis Dodgson. The only thing coming your way is a criminal record and incarceration. Your dreams of world recognition will vanish if you keep following him. Think about it, Henry. Do you want your career to go down the drain? You'll be infamous—not famous."

"That's you, not me." Wu regarded him now in a manner that everyone found condescending—even Nedry.

"That will be you if you don't wise up, Henry."

Wu glared hatefully at him. Every time he thought he managed to shut out Nedry, another part of him kept hearing their conversations in his mind on repeat. Rather than look inwardly at himself right now, he needed to know how Nedry found out about his betrayal. It was something he had never wrapped his mind around. If he could get Nedry to talk about that, it would take the focus off him returning to InGen. Which is what Wu needed. Something to distract him from looking inwardly at himself.

"How did you find out?"

Nedry tried moving his left hand under the strap to loosen it. "Find out what?" He looked up, curious.

"That I had joined Dodgson."

"I overheard your conversation. You both were on the phone, and I was that third party that neither of you were aware of. Isn't it obvious?"

Wu was about to snap back, but he didn't. "How much did you hear that night?"

"More than enough to know I was gonna warn the park staff about you."

Wu grinned. "And no one believed you."

"Not then, but they do now. Your conversation that night was interesting. All this talk about you going to the dark side, how you felt Hammond was ignoring you, my persona-non-grata status, Dodgson promising to make you famous." Nedry snickered at this. "That's his M.O.—smooth words with no backup."

"Did you record the conversation?"

"I should've." Nedry glared at Wu. "That night in John's bungalow nobody wanted to hear the truth, but I knew it was only a matter of time."

"You really expected them to believe a backstabbing liar?" Wu scoffed and gestured at him as though he were trash that needed to be thrown away. "You're a convicted felon who's a shell of what he used to be. A brilliant systems analyst, but look at you now—wasted talent, miserable, and an outcast—nobody cares what you say or do."

Nedry looked down, ashamed of having his past thrown back in his face. His shame was short-lived as he shot back at Wu.

"I'm still that brilliant systems analyst and one day I'll get my life back together. Right now, your life is crumbling, Henry. Your dreams and aspirations are being dangled like a carrot in front of a hungry horse, but you keep trying to nibble the carrot while Dodgson whips you into running around for him. Keep being that horse, chomping at the bit. You'll never get anywhere staying here."

Neither man spoke for a full minute. Wu wanted to argue against what Nedry had told him but couldn't find the right words. Nedry felt he said all he could. Then it occurred to Wu…he had always wanted to know about the lists Nedry had written, and now was the perfect time to find out.

"One more question."

"Ask."

"Why was my name on your list?"

"What list?"

"You know about your damn list."

Nedry tilted his head as he thought about it, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Then it hit him what Wu was referring to: the lists he had written showing both InGen and Biosyn employees and consultants. He had written them when he was on the boat traveling to Isla Nublar—when he planned to warn the park staff of Dodgson's plans. Wu's name was the last one written on the Biosyn list—at the bottom of the page.

"Oh, that list." Nedry laughed and immediately stopped when he saw Wu's cold expression. "How do you know about it?"

Wu sighed, annoyed. "Ray found it when you and Robert were at Sorna."

"He did? I never meant for anyone to see those lists."

"He found it in your backpack."

"Okay and…?"

"Ray, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Malcolm knew from that list alone that I had betr—" he caught himself in time. Wu never admitted aloud what he had done to InGen. There were nicer ways to phrase his decision. Divergent interests. Expand my contacts in the genetics field. Explore new territory.

"I didn't know they found it." Nedry was serious now. "You're angry at me for writing your name on a list?"

"It was circled in red."

"Duly noted. No more circling your name."

Wu's right fist clenched, but he kept it at his side. He was tempted to punch Nedry in the face for his excessive sarcasm. It was so annoying! "You made it stand out on purpose."

"Yeah, so? That's not the worst thing I've ever done. If it bothers you that much, next time I'll circle your name in purple. Or I'll draw a rectangle around it."

"Shut the hell up!" Wu grabbed the first thing in front of him—a spiral notebook—and flung it at Nedry. The notebook hit the side of the gurney and landed on the floor.

Nedry flinched when he witnessed Wu's fury. He wasn't sure if he was more shocked at Wu's anger or upset that he had responded to it.

"You tried to expose me. And to think, I defended you after your sentencing."

"I bet you ended up exposing yourself based on your reaction. What's this about you defending me?"

Wu turned away, refusing to answer. He remembered his initial reaction when finding out about Nedry's lengthy prison sentence that Judge Hoskins had handed down. Ten to fifteen years, huge fines in the six digits, and his certification revoked. Back then, Wu was disappointed that his co-worker, despite his intelligence, had thrown away his life and talents.

"Who cares about that."

"You're the one who brought it up, so finish."

Wu whipped around, pointing at Nedry accusingly. "I had told Ray and Robert that you were brilliant, how awful it was that your certification was revoked, and that it was messed up how you got sentenced for all that time."

Nedry pulled back into the gurney, as though shrinking away. "I had no idea, Henry."

"How could you know? You were on your way upstate."

Nedry was quiet and Wu wondered why he had fallen silent. Was he shocked or touched by Wu defending him? Wu decided it didn't matter since it was in the past and said as much.

"That was then, and this is now. Now you're a traitorous good-for-nothing hacker—"

"If you wanna go there about 'traitorous', then you're the pot calling the kettle black." Nedry busted out laughing. "It's funny, you know?"

"What's so damn funny?"

"For someone who claims that no one cares what I do or say, you care an awful lot that I overheard your conversation with Dodgson—and that I wrote your name on a list and circled it in red. Your lack of insight is amazing!"

"You know what I wish?"

"You wish Jurassic Park was open to the world so that everyone would know who you are and what you did by cloning extinct lizards. You're so fame-starved, Henry."

Wu blinked, shocked for a moment. "I'm impressed you know me so well, but no, that's not my wish." He slowly walked up to the gurney, so that he was standing over Nedry.

"I don't know then."

"I wish I found that list before they did, so that I could crumple it into a ball and shove it down your throat. Sit back and watch you choke on your slander."

"It's not slander if it's true." Nedry pressed against the straps and met Wu's cold dark eyes. "And if it's slander—if what I wrote isn't true—then why the hell are you here chasing after Lewis Dodgson?"

Both men stared hatefully at each other. No words were exchanged during that time. Those fifteen seconds felt like forever. Finally, it was Wu who stepped away as he glanced at the door and then down at Nedry.

"This conversation is over. I'm meeting with the team to discuss what to do with you."

"Have fun with those rabid Cub Scouts!"

Nedry watched him open the door and processed everything that took place today. He had made progress with getting Lopez and Sonya to talk. Tembo was catching onto him, but he couldn't worry about it. He would have to try another avenue to get them talking again. He also had his written confession which was a great start. There was something else—the fact that they had forcefully taken him from Carlos and Charlie's restaurant parking lot and brought him to where he was now. Nedry remembered Anderson telling him that he was there to meet with Dodgson and that if the group did anything against him—they could face serious charges.

As for Wu…there had been no movement there. Not when he claimed to still be loyal to Biosyn—even though he had been fired from the company along with everyone else. Then again, Wu kept talking out of both sides of his mouth. Nedry understood he wasn't ready to come around yet. He called himself the "Miracle Worker of Jurassic Park", but then claimed allegiance to Lewis Dodgson. Nedry figured being around Dodgson brought out Wu's dark side and Nedry knew that had been true of himself too.

The other side of the coin was he and Wu already had that darkness in them… It wasn't something Nedry was comfortable admitting, but it was better to be honest—especially if he was pushing Wu to face himself. Wu seemed to remain in a state of denial and Nedry knew he'd have to push him harder. It would take a lot more to get him to come around. When Nedry looked at his own past, it made sense. The incident with Muldoon and Hammond forced him to face the harsh reality of whom he had become and how he had allowed greed to distort him. How he had allowed himself to fall so low… He hoped it wouldn't take a scenario as drastic as Muldoon's and Hammond's, for Wu to open his eyes and face himself.

Wu turned back around only once. "Next time they're down here, you're on your own."

He left and locked the door behind him.

"The knives of betrayal and drama cut deep and hurt…but they also trim away the nonsense and reveal your true friends." - Steve Maraboli

oOo

Corey Anderson sat behind his desk in his private office at the precinct. It was mid-afternoon and Ian Malcolm, John Hammond, and Robert Muldoon waited patiently to see what he promised to show them. It was a small office, but big enough for them to sit apart and have their own space. On the side wall was a large evidence board with everyone's names and faces associated with Biosyn—Dennis Nedry, Henry Wu, Roland Tembo, Raúl Lopez, Sonya Durant, George Baselton, and Howard King. Being that he was the ringleader, Lewis Dodgson's photo was in the center with a yellow sticky post-it note that read "the leader". Anderson had set it up in the morning. Seeing everyone's names and pictures helped to keep track of everyone involved.

As Hammond took a seat and waited to see what Anderson would show them, Muldoon and Malcolm studied the photos and the brightly colored sticky post-it notes under each profile with a little blurb about each person. The blurbs had the first and last names of each person and information about their position in Dodgson's group. Nedry's blue post-it note had "the hacker". Wu's was the same color as Nedry's and had "geneticist/miracle worker" scribbled on it. Sonya and Tembo had orange post-it notes; both labeled with "mercenary". Lopez's green post-it note had "paleontologist" written on it. Pink post-it notes were under Baselton's and King's photos with "associate" listed. Baselton's had "InGen/Biosyn" written over "associate". George Lawala was the only person whose name and photo was not on the board since he had left Biosyn and aligned himself with InGen.

The listening station where Anderson continued to record any interactions Nedry had with the Biosyn team was situated in the corner. Anderson wanted to let them listen to last night's clip, but first he had something important to show them.

"I've been digging up more information about Biosyn and Lewis Dodgson, and I found out about these two men."

Anderson held up two photos and noticed Malcolm's eyes widen.

"Do you recognize them?"

Malcolm nodded. He noticed Hammond looked worried and explained quickly. "Those are the two higher-ups from Biosyn that Dodgson invited to the park."

"The guy on the left is Bill Steingarten," Muldoon added. "The guy on the right is Jeff Rossiter."

"Right," Anderson affirmed.

"He had both of them on my island?!" Hammond was incredulous. "To take my—"

His anger overwhelmed him as he clenched his walking cane. For the moment, he couldn't find the right words to express what he felt about hearing about this occurrence for the second time. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler had told him about how this had happened, but for some reason, he had forgotten about it. Or maybe, it was more accurate to say that he had blocked it out of his memory.

"He didn't succeed, John," Malcolm reminded him, placing a reassuring hand on Hammond's shoulder. "They ended up leaving the island after Dennis told Dr. Grant to drop them off at the east dock."

Hammond's eyebrows shot up. "The east dock?!"

"We told you about this, remember?"

Hammond nodded, but he still looked shocked. Malcolm and Muldoon exchanged a knowing glance. Hammond had finally learned of everything that happened in his absence upon his return. It was so much that either he hadn't retained everything, or he did, but hadn't fully processed it yet to the point of acceptance.

Anderson looked from both Malcolm to Hammond, uncertain of the significance of the "east dock". However, he noted that these were two men whom Hammond didn't want on his property. He also had good news that might help quell Hammond's shock and anger about the corporate enemies who had tried to seize his property.

"You might be interested to know a couple of things. The first is that Biosyn is no longer in the same building they used reside in, the one in Cupertino. From the information I found, it seems like they've split up."

Muldoon sat back in his chair, curious. "Why?"

"Not sure," Anderson continued. "It's unclear if the entire company fragmented after Dodgson's group trespassed on Mr. Hammond's property, but one thing is certain: Jeff Rossiter, Dodgson's supervisor, was fired shortly after for keeping Dodgson under his employment. The CEO of Biosyn, Bill Steingarten, resigned at the request of the board of directors."

Malcolm had been focused on Hammond and now sent a questioning glance in Anderson's direction.

"So, Dodgson isn't working for them anymore?" Malcolm's skepticism was clear in his tone. "He's doing everything on his own accord without Steingarten and Rossiter?"

"That's where it's dicey." Anderson stepped around his desk and placed Rossiter's and Steingarten's photos on the corner of the evidence board, apart from the rest of the photos and post-it notes. "It could be that these two guys left Biosyn but are still conspiring with Dodgson to obtain InGen technology. Or it could be that Dodgson's just doing his own thing now and pretending to be under Biosyn's employment. We think it's the latter."

Anderson walked back to his desk and grabbed two orange post-it notes and wrote down Rossiter's and Steingarten's names. Under Rossiter's name, he wrote "fired for keeping Dodgson in the company" and under Steingarten's name he wrote, "forced to resign". He placed the sticky post-it notes under the corresponding photographs.

"What's certain is that the large building in Cupertino that Biosyn had used as their headquarters—it's vacant. From what my team told me, Biosyn downsized and relocated to a smaller compound. There're rumors floating around that Biosyn changed their name to Mantah Corp to distance themselves from their previous shady reputation, but we don't have enough information about that."

"'Mantah Corp'?!" Muldoon asked in disbelief. "What the bloody hell is 'Mantah Corp'?"

Hammond tried to follow everything. "Is this the place where you dropped off Dennis and watched…"

He couldn't finish his statement. Hammond didn't expect to feel guilty about asking Nedry to help them convince Wu, but now he was starting to feel slight pangs on his conscience. Had he done the right thing in putting Nedry in harm's way—just so he could have Wu back under his employment?

Anderson watched Hammond closely as he stepped away from the evidence board. "No. Remember we let him drive to Carlos and Charlie's in Silicon Valley? He was taken hostage there by Dodgson's guys. One of our guys tailed them to Los Altos. The location where Dodgson and his group are currently working out is this building. The compound is surrounded by a chain link fence."

"So why aren't we getting him out of there?" Hammond pressed. His guilt was eating away at him now. What if Nedry got killed because of him wanting Wu to return to InGen?

"Because he's still getting information," Anderson said, maintaining his calm. He wouldn't align himself with Hammond's fear—he couldn't. If he did, then nothing would get done. "I understand you're worried, but we have several hours of recorded conversation that can be used in court against everyone from Biosyn."

"Any cameras?" Muldoon asked. "Surveillance?"

"None that we've seen so far. We also don't know if the entire organization works from that location, or if It's just Dodgson's department—so to speak. "Head of Research", I think?"

Malcolm folded his arms across his chest, indicating what he felt about the so-called "Head of Research" title. "That's code for what Dodgson really does—stealing a competitor's project, stripping it down to the bone, and calling it his own. He does it to gain advantage over the competition—in this case, InGen."

"Industrial espionage," Anderson commented as he came back to sit behind his desk.

"Why don't we take a listen to the first recording," Malcolm suggested.

Anderson nodded. "I heard it before you came in today. I'd say Dennis is already off to a good start when convincing Henry, but I'd rather hear your thoughts on this."

He stood up again and went to the listening station, making sure to turn the audio on medium volume. Malcolm, Hammond, and Muldoon stood up and gathered around the desk with the radio as Anderson checked the door of his office. There was a pause of silence and then they heard Wu and Nedry talking.

"Code, okay?"

"Ever miss the good ol' days? You know, back during the construction?"

"We were a family."

"A dysfunctional one. Robert was the drunk, Ray was the worrywart, Gerry was silent but deadly with his occasional jabs. You were the goody-two-shoes of the bunch."

"You were the black sheep."

A grim smile flashed across Muldoon's face at the mention of him being a "drunk". He knew Nedry didn't mean it in an insulting way, and the truth was he still drank on the job. What amazed him was Wu saying they were "we were a family". He hadn't expected that, and he wondered what Hammond and Malcolm thought about it. On one hand, it might be comforting to Hammond. Then again, it might increase his confusion as to why Wu turned against him.

"Dennis has the gift of gab," Anderson said, leaning against the wall near the listening station. "I'm sure he'll get a lot of info from Henry and the rest of the Biosyn team." He played the rest of the recording. When it was done, he stopped it and turned to the group. "Do you think it will take long for him to convince Wu?"

"Not if he continues at this pace," Malcolm said. "Based on this conversation, Henry sounded nostalgic."

Muldoon went back to the wall that held the evidence board with the photos of Nedry and Wu tacked on. Both photos had captured their personalities. Wu looked arrogant with a faint smirk on his face, his dark eyes narrowed and focused on an unseen point. Nedry had his usual amused expression that couldn't be distinguished as him laughing at or with someone.

"They're both very different," Muldoon started as he studied the photos of his former co-workers. "Henry came off like he was proud that he had betrayed InGen, but it's different from Dennis."

Anderson came over to where Muldoon was standing in front of the evidence board. "They're both glad they betrayed the company?"

"At the time, Dennis acted ecstatic that I knew the truth," Hammond spoke quietly as he remembered the scene at the courthouse with the media buzzing around. "We had a lot of issues with his contract…"

Muldoon watched Hammond to see if he would say more. By now, he knew the full story as to why Nedry betrayed Hammond. Although he would never agree with Nedry's actions, he was able to understand the anger that motivated him. Hammond didn't further elaborate; but based on how he avoided looking at everyone when he spoke about his conflict with Nedry, Muldoon could see he felt guilt about it. Although it was late, Muldoon thought it was good that Hammond owned his part in the conflict and was even regretful for it. Henry's a different story altogether…Muldoon thought.

"I don't think he's that way now," Hammond said, focusing on his walking cane. "He's paid for his crimes many times over, but that's Dennis. Henry's betrayal is a mystery to me." He shook his head. Although he had been told why Wu betrayed him, it was still difficult to accept. If he had just waited for the park to open to the public…if he had been more understanding about why I decided to hold off… The thoughts swirled in his mind, but he wouldn't speak them aloud. For Hammond, saying them aloud would confirm the truth that he still didn't want to accept.

"Fascinating…" Anderson's voice trailed off as he took out his pocket notebook and wrote down what was being discussed.

He drew a Venn diagram. Nedry's full name was above the left circle, and Wu's full name was above the right circle. Nedry had "contract/salary issues?" and "lack of remorse at trial" in his circle, while Wu had "proud?", "motives", and "family of co-workers" in his. In the section where the circles overlapped, Anderson wrote "swayed by Dodgson/Biosyn" and "worked for InGen" as common denominators. He tore the page out and found a piece of tape on his desk. From there, he taped the Venn diagram to another corner of the evidence board.

"Robert, you don't know this, but when you and Dennis were stranded on Sorna, Ray found this notebook with everyone's names from Biosyn and InGen. Henry's name was circled in red," Malcolm said.

Muldoon's eyebrows furrowed and he instinctively reached in his pocket for his whiskey-filled flask, but it wasn't there. He had left it in his hotel room. "What's that about?"

"Dennis had written a list of names from both InGen and Biosyn."

Hammond looked up sharply, ripped free from his inner thoughts. "Which company was Henry listed under?"

"Biosyn." Malcolm was solemn. "His name was circled red to bring attention to it."

Hammond closed his eyes in deep thought. He opened his eyes again, almost half expecting and half hoping that he would find out everything was the product of a bizarre nightmare. It was real though—he was with Malcolm and Muldoon in a detective's office, Nedry was risking his life to try to convince Wu to return to InGen, and Wu was working with Dodgson because of promises of worldwide fame if he chose Biosyn over InGen.

Anderson observed the exchange in front of him. He noticed Hammond's reaction and realized how these revelations about his former employee were like being repeatedly stabbed in the back—and heart. He found an empty chair nearby and gently urged Hammond to sit down. Hammond did so while holding his walking cane on his lap.

"Henry's reaction at the time was very telling. He was angry and lashing out, as though we were already accusing him of having betrayed InGen." When Hammond and Muldoon stared at Malcolm without responding, he took at his cue to make his point. "Henry never wanted to be discovered, but once Dodgson came to the island, he began making his move. Something was off about him because his personality kept flipping back and forth—from kind and humble one moment, to cold and unapproachable the next. Whereas Dennis has always been Dennis: arrogant and difficult to deal with."

"He doesn't hide who he is," Muldoon said.

"Exactly," Malcolm said, and he took it a step further. "Dennis Nedry knows why he betrayed InGen, whereas Henry Wu is questioning his decision while trying to pretend that he's standing by it."

"Can I hear the entire recording again?" Hammond suddenly asked, breaking out of his trance. For some reason, he felt compelled to listen to it again.

"Sure, of course." Anderson reached over to the listening station, rewound the recording, and then pressed the play button.

Hammond scooted over to get closer to the listening station, as though the proximity would help him to accept what he found unacceptable: Wu's betrayal. This time, he couldn't tear himself away from it. There was something that struck him about hearing the two employees who had betrayed him, especially when Nedry called out Wu. The recording ended.

"Dennis fell first," Hammond said, staring at the machine. "It's why he's the only one who can reach Henry. He came around eventually—he's changed, but he can still be difficult. He's just not the same as before. He used to be very bitter and cold towards me and everyone here."

"He wasn't too eager about doing this initially, even with the promise of having his sentence commuted," Anderson said.

"You're right, he wasn't. I know he wasn't, but…" Hammond shrugged, unsure of what to say.

"It's because he's afraid," Muldoon said. "He won't openly say it because that's not who he is. Dodgson put him through hell in the past and who knows what he'll do this time."

Malcolm latched on. "Sometimes people hide their fear behind anger. Robert's right: we know Lewis Dodgson has done awful things to Dennis before, but he always manages to get back up again and keep fighting."

"With broken fingers," Muldoon muttered, shaking his head.

"That didn't stop him last time. Uh, with Henry—"

"Do you think he's afraid?"

Anderson and Hammond waited to see how Malcolm would respond to Muldoon's question. Malcolm thought about it before finally answering.

"He's not afraid, he's ambivalent. My hope is that because Henry is on the fence about everything—that he will take the leap into InGen's front yard. The grass is always greener on the other side as the saying goes. He thought it would be that way with Biosyn, but I think he's come to the realization that it's not. It was always a mirage."

oOo

Meanwhile, in Los Altos, in the building that Dodgson labeled as "Biosyn Off-Site: Research Department", Nedry still found the basement to be freezing cold. He didn't expect he'd be given welcoming accommodations. After all, he was their prisoner. He didn't know what time it was, if it was day or night, but he knew if he asked, they wouldn't tell him.

They being his former "co-workers" who now surrounded his gurney. Lopez, Sonya, and Tembo, the three musketeers, he thought. For once, he was thankful for the duct tape that prevented him from speaking. When they first came down to check on him, Lopez wanted him gagged, so they wouldn't have to put up with his excessive backtalk and sarcasm. The less he heard Nedry's mouth, the better. Tembo insisted it was so that Nedry couldn't lead them into conversations where they revealed information. He was still convinced that Nedry wore a secret recording device and was furious that he couldn't find it the day before. Sonya acted indifferent about both their reasons.

For the past hour, they had discussed him as though he weren't there. It was just as well.

Nedry let them blab as much as they liked. It was only a matter of time before one of them slipped and gave more information than they intended to. Henry Wu was with them too but being that he sat in a chair against the wall, observing and not participating, Nedry didn't count him. Nedry wondered why he was even there if he wasn't going to say anything, but then again, maybe it was good that Wu was present—especially since he claimed he wouldn't be around when the team was there. Nedry knew he had a small span of time to convince Wu to return to InGen. He thought they made progress the first night, but yesterday, Wu was at his absolute worst. Today when Wu returned with the group, he stayed on the sidelines. He didn't participate but observed everything. Then again, Wu did stop Tembo from shooting Nedry again during the first day of his imprisonment. He also interrupted the group when they searched for a wire…so maybe his presence was meant to keep Nedry safe?

"I have an idea," Tembo said, leering at Nedry.

"What's that?" Sonya asked as she leaned against the gurney's rails.

"We shouldn't call him by his name. We should call him by his department identification number—the one from prison."

Lopez walked around the basement to check if they had certain supplies—a towel or a cloth and an empty container to put water in. He immediately whipped around when he heard Tembo's suggestion.

"Zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five?! That's brilliant, Roland!"

Lopez found what he was looking for and placed it on a nearby desk. He noticed Wu watching him.

"Gotta be prepared for whenever Lew wants us to start waterboarding, Denn—oops, I meant, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five."

Wu maintained a flat expression. He appeared to stare right through Lopez.

"You're no fun," Lopez said to Wu, who turned away, as though interested in something else.

Lopez watched him for a moment and then approached the gurney with a wide smile on his face.

Tembo and Lopez using his Department of Corrections identification number to mock him didn't go unnoticed. Nedry resolved to not respond whenever they used it. Any reaction he showed would give them tremendous satisfaction—which he refused to do. However, if there was one thing irking him at that moment, it was that sick smile stretched across Lopez's face. Nedry was the only one who received a smile from Lopez that was a mix of sheer hatred and complete disdain.

"You know, we started off on the wrong foot, and it got worse from there."

Lopez circled the gurney and then stopped when he stood directly over Nedry. Nedry followed him with his eyes and watched him carefully, unsure of where he was going with this one-sided conversation—and wondering why he was standing close to the gurney.

"If you were like this back then, as you are now—the embodiment of golden silence—no snarky comments, no obnoxious sarcasm, and no annoying backtalk—we could've had a great working relationship. Strike that. We would've."

He wished he could rip off the duct tape and shove it in Lopez's mouth! If only he weren't strapped down, Nedry would even the score and Lopez was fully aware of that fact. Neither man had forgotten their brutal fight in the visitor center. Nedry knew Lopez was still bitter that he had come so close to finally wiping out his existence and was robbed of the chance to do so when Muldoon showed up in time to destroy Lopez's dreams—and Lopez himself.

"Don't you agree, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five? We would've gotten along wonderfully if you had just kept your big mouth shut. But you know, we can start over today. Silence gives consent, right?" Lopez tapped the roll of duct tape that had been placed next to the tray of surgical tools earlier. "I'll take your silence to mean you completely agree with me. We're finally on the same page! Aren't you glad I didn't have to beat you senseless this time?"

He leaned in close—and received a swift head-butt from Nedry. Lopez grunted in pain, clasping his forehead.

"You shi—" He reached over to attack Nedry when Sonya pulled him away.

"Don't give him what he wants," Sonya demanded.

Lopez didn't hear her as he focused on Nedry who glared back at him. "Even without you running your mouth, you manage to be a miserable pain in the ass!"

"Back off, Raúl," Tembo said, interrupting the fray. "You know the insecure bastard needs to get in one hit to feel good about himself."

Lopez pushed Sonya off him and then caught Wu's jeering expression. It was worse because Wu was silently mocking him, although Lopez had always respected him and his accomplishments. Wu's expression was derisive, he was entertained by what had just happened. Right then, it hit Lopez that Nedry and Wu were up to something. Lopez looked back at Nedry, noting his contemptuous stare. He wasn't the least bit worried about Lopez retaliating. In fact, he was daring him silently to do so.

"I say we search him again," Lopez said, approaching Nedry for the second time. He grabbed Nedry's collar and twisted it.

Nedry didn't react. This was just Lopez throwing his weight around to feel important after the embarrassment of getting head-butted.

"Search him for what? You still think he's hiding a bug in his clothes?" Sonya asked, getting in front of Lopez again and pushing him away. "Back off, for the second time today."

Lopez walked off in a huff as she patted down Nedry's arms and legs and then started on his chest. When she started for his hair, he pulled away from her touch.

"What, you don't want me touching you?"

Nedry sent her a blank stare, indicating he couldn't care less what she felt.

"Looks clean to me." Sonya shrugged, uninterested in continuing to search him since he wasn't giving her the reaction she had hoped for. As always, Sonya sought attention—be it positive or negative. Indifference was her worst enemy.

"Don't be a ditz, Sonya," Lopez called from the middle of the room. "How did he get arrested one day, then released the next, and suddenly he's on our doorstep? Something's not right about this picture."

Tembo nodded. "I'm inclined to agree with you, Raúl."

"Great minds think alike."

"Maybe John Hammond bailed him out," Sonya suggested.

"Spared no expense," Wu muttered.

Nedry's shoulders shook as though he were containing his laughter.

"You find that funny," Tembo growled. "You know, you never answered our question from the first day. Why are you here? We know why Dodgson wants you back, but what are your reasons?"

Nedry rolled his eyes as though saying: these stupid questions again? He then motioned with his head in Wu's direction. Tembo looked over his shoulder at Wu, who sat in a chair against the wall, watching everyone. Wu looked annoyed; he sat with his arms folded across his chest, indicating he wasn't open to being involved or sharing his thoughts on the matter.

"Since he obviously isn't going to tell us—" Tembo started again when Wu finally spoke up.

"He can't since you gagged him again." Wu got up and yanked off the duct tape. "Now he can talk to us." He sat down again after tossing the duct tape on the floor.

"Who said I want to talk with you assholes?" Nedry said with a wide grin. "Maybe I do. Maybe I don't."

"We don't have time to waste," Tembo said, resuming his take-charge role. "We need to figure out a schedule of who will guard him, so he doesn't escape."

"Why would I run off when you've made me a captive audience?"

"Because you're a pathetic coward," Sonya said with a sing-song voice.

"I have a question for you guys—two actually," Nedry said, twisting against the straps. He noticed Wu turned in his direction. He's listening. "So yeah, I feel like talking."

"What's your first question?" Lopez asked. He stood back as though avoiding another painful headbutt. "You only get this question and one more. That's it."

Nedry locked eyes with Lopez, wanting to make it clear that this question was reserved for him—especially after their recent exchange. "I can't believe what I'm about to ask you, but this inquiring mind wants to know: why do you hate me so much?"

Lopez blinked, shocked. He clearly hadn't expected this question. He turned to Tembo and Sonya, as though expecting they knew why Nedry was asking this question. A moment later, they all busted out laughing. Nothing was heard for a full minute except hideous laughter. Lopez caught his breath and was about to respond when Tembo spoke up.

"Three words: because you're you."

"Three more words: what he said," Sonya added, smirking in his direction.

"Guys, let me answer, ok? That question was meant for me," Lopez said.

Nedry nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with Lopez. "Yeah, you know he hates for anyone to steal his thunder."

"But you're you. Period. If you know yourself, then you know why he hates you," Sonya insisted.

"What does that mean?" Nedry asked, feigning ignorance. "That's very vague. Besides, I know myself—and I love who I am!" Nothing could be further from the truth, but Nedry would never let on that he constantly struggled with self-hatred and shame for betraying Hammond, hurting his InGen coworkers, and messing up his life.

"Let me answer this one, Sonya," Lopez said. He was near the gurney so that he was face to face with Nedry—but still at a safe distance so that he wouldn't receive another painful headbutt. "You're an arrogant jackass—you always have been." He jabbed his pointer finger in Nedry's chest. "You constantly lie, you suck up to Dodgson when it suits you, and then turn around and backstab him. Good thing is now Dodgson learned from last time, so you can't fool him again. You call dinosaurs 'lizards'—"

"You're butthurt because I call them 'lizards'?!" This struck Nedry as hilarious.

"You have an issue with my chosen career."

"I don't have an issue with you being a paleontologist. I have an issue with you," Nedry corrected him. "Your career plays no role in that."

"Oh really?" Lopez's voice was dry as sand.

"Really. I have no issues with Dr. Grant and he's a world-renowned paleontologist. He doesn't like computers and technology, but he doesn't have an issue with me. The only issue I see here is you, Dr. Lopez. You like to be called that, right? Doctor Lopez? Petty jealousy and professional rivalry and it's not about to die down."

"It will die when you die…and hopefully that will be soon." Lopez stepped away now. If he remained there, he wouldn't control his violent rage that threatened to erupt anytime he was near Nedry.

"You hate me and yet you've never walked a mile in my shoes."

Lopez turned around to respond when Nedry cut him off.

"All this ridiculous jealousy and for what?!"

Nedry raised himself as much as he could, straining against the straps in an effort to challenge Lopez. He noticed Tembo, Sonya, and Wu watching Lopez to see how he would react.

"Dodgson's always favored you, and you know it, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five—we all do." Lopez's voice dripped with hatred as he pointed at him. "And only because you could override Jurassic Park's security systems—"

"Because I designed them myself, dumbass!" Nedry shook his head, annoyed. "If you had designed the security systems, then you could easily override them, and Dodgson would depend on you! You have all this knowledge when it comes to extinct lizards—but you have zero common sense!"

"I have zero common sense?" Lopez shot a knowing smirk at Tembo and Sonya as though expecting them to jump to his side.

"You heard me—and don't look to Roland or Sonya to back you up. I'm not looking to Henry to defend me. I can stand on my own two feet, thank you very much!"

The basement was deadly silent. Everyone, even Wu, was invested as they watched and listened. Lopez started towards the gurney again and stopped when he was a foot away from Nedry.

"You want to lose your career? Be locked up and have every decision made for you no matter how small? How about having your reputation ruined or the embarrassment of wearing chains? Or living in a cage? What about knowing that everyone is looking down at you for being a convicted felon?"

"Boo-hoo, that's so sad." Lopez scoffed. "Sucks to be you."

"And yet somehow you still got this green-eyed monster when it comes to me. You really want Dodgson to send Tembo to kill you—all because you refuse to do what he wants?" Nedry still pressed against the straps holding him down. "How dare you decide not to carry out one of his most malicious plans! The nerve!"

Lopez was quiet now and he swallowed nervously.

"Dodgson really favored me that time, right?"

Lopez still said nothing as he glared at Nedry.

"He didn't have the group beat you up for his entertainment—but sure, keep whining that he favors me."

Lopez finally responded. "You survived."

"Sucks to be you! Your pettiness is exhausting. Shut up and sit down!"

Lopez didn't answer this time, although he was obviously taken aback. He went to stand against the wall, away from everyone else. He didn't "sit down" as a deliberate way to show he wouldn't do what Nedry told him to do. Even so, it wasn't clear if he was embarrassed by Nedry telling him off, or if his silence betrayed that he agreed with Nedry that Dodgson didn't favor him if he put a hit on him. Either way, Lopez would never admit it aloud—to himself or anyone—that Nedry made valid points.

Nedry watched him walk away and then glanced at Wu, who still sat quietly, listening to everything. He wondered what Wu thought of all this. Did Wu really enjoy being on a toxic team with people who talked casually about the death of each other? Where if one person got a little more appreciation or acknowledgement than the other, suddenly there were fits of violent jealousy? Henry knows InGen was never like this, Nedry thought. We were a dysfunctional family and had our moments with each other and John, but there were never talks about who should be dead, who got more attention, who had more respect. None of that childish bullshit.

He admitted to himself that he did carry a huge grudge against Arnold and Muldoon after he was arrested, and yes, he had made their lives a living hell for some time. Sometimes looking back at his old self, Nedry couldn't believe he was that bitter and angry. That at one time, he had been hellbent on destroying Robert Muldoon and Ray Arnold for simply doing the right thing by having him arrested for his crimes against the company. Was I that far gone?! I really was… He only hoped Wu wasn't that far over the edge. Based on what he had seen so far, Nedry felt relieved that Wu wasn't. He was with Biosyn reluctantly, whereas Nedry had been completely in. Knowing he had their attention; he went forward with his next question.

"My second question is for all of you. Why do you hate InGen?"

Tembo, Sonya, and Lopez exchanged confused glances as though trying to decide who should answer that question and how it should be answered. Sonya then looked from Wu to Nedry, while Lopez tilted his head in thought. Tembo was the only one who spoke up.

"We don't hate InGen, we simply want what they have."

"But you all made every effort to destroy them when you occupied the island last time. Why?"

"Why not?" Tembo sneered. "With InGen out of the way, Biosyn could take over and be the number one name in genetic engineering."

"Why did you bully Gerry Harding, Robert Muldoon, and Ray Arnold?" Nedry pressed. "Same with John's grandchildren, Dr. Malcolm, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Sattler. Why were you so vicious to them? They didn't do anything to hurt you, so why did you all go out of your way to make them miserable? Can anyone answer this question? Sonya? Roland? Raúl?"

"We're not doing this," Lopez said, leaving the wall and joining Tembo. "That's like ten questions in one. What are you expecting, an answer for each individual person you just named from InGen?"

"Absolutely."

"Not happening." Lopez shook his head.

"Then answer the one question I asked about hating InGen," Nedry countered.

"I just did, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five," Tembo said. "Take it or leave it."

"You had—or have—a vendetta against anyone from InGen. Dodgson must've fed you all rage-filled protein shakes every morning and told you to go make trouble for them." Nedry aimed his thoughts at Wu now. "You know I'm right, Henry."

Wu shrugged but didn't respond.

"It was fun crushing the competition," Sonya said. "Destroying that bimbo's greenhouse, micromanaging the pissed off staff, separating them and running them into the ground. They couldn't do anything about it. Great times!"

Keep talking, Sonya, Nedry thought, smugly. Sonya and Lopez were alike: they had no restraint once they started talking. Tembo was smart: he got straight to the point and didn't say more than necessary. He had hoped to get Tembo to talk about the failed hit on him, but it hadn't happened. Nedry knew this might be his last chance to pull any information out of them. He'd have to switch gears and focus on Wu from now on. Put all his energy into convincing him to return to InGen. For now, he would still try to get info out of Tembo.

"I thought you wanted Robert Muldoon's position as park warden, Roland," Nedry said.

"I did back then, and I still do now."

"Why?"

"Stop asking questions that you know the answers to," Tembo growled. "Don't mistake me for a fool."

"It's too late for that, since you're still working for Dodgson, even after your dog collar days." Nedry smirked, knowing his comment would infuriate Tembo. "Old dogs can't learn new tricks."

"And a traitor is always a traitor. You truly are the loneliest of all men, "Tembo said. "No one envies you—not even Raúl, despite what you want to believe."

"I'm glad you know me so well; it's like we're best friends." Nedry pretended he was lounging in a king-sized luxury bed, although the gurney was narrow and uncomfortable. "Let's say you succeeded in destroying InGen, and Biosyn took over Isla Nublar, what would you do next?"

"Roll in the millions of dollars that we'd rake in once we opened Jurassic Park to the world!" Sonya said, jumping in before Tembo could answer. "Is that so hard to understand?"

"Oh, I understand it." A sneaky grin flashed across Nedry's face. "It's just I imagine you rolling in money nak—"

Sonya stomped over to the gurney and slapped him across the face before he could finish his sentence. "Keep dreaming, stupid perv."

"That wasn't very nice," Nedry mumbled as he glanced in Wu's direction again. Wu looked like he was trying to suppress his laughter—he tried to appear bored, except it wasn't working as a slight smirk crossed his face. "It's not funny, Henry. This is serious business!"

"I'll tell you what's 'serious business', Denny." Sonya apparently forgot about Tembo's suggestion. "We all want an answer to a question that's been bugging us for a while."

"Ask and you may receive an answer that's been bugging me for a while."

Sonya wagged her finger in his face." "Not 'may'—we will receive an answer."

"Go ahead, Sonya-pie."

"What made you decide to do it?"

Nedry's eyebrows furrowed, confused about what she meant. "Do what?"

Tembo and Lopez exchanged a knowing glance. They knew exactly where she was going.

"When Lew told us he wanted a velociraptor, you spent the entire day bitching and moaning about how dangerous they are, how they killed some no-name—"

"Jophery." Nedry enunciated the name. "His name was Jophery."

Sonya rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"I recall the three of you spending the entire day reminding me that I had been incarcerated and how I owed Dodgson my freedom. You knew about that little detail in the contract he had me sign. Follow his every demand or get thrown back in the slammer. Sweet deal."

"What contract?" Sonya pretended to play innocent.

"That's not our fault you didn't read the fine print," Lopez threw in.

Nedry met Lopez's angry glare and made a quick decision not to respond to him as he focused on Sonya who leaned over the gurney. He watched as she picked up the surgical scissors.

"What do you want to ask me?"

"At a quarter to midnight, you decided to go along with it, after spending the entire day dragging your feet," Sonya said, admiring the surgical scissors and then turning to Nedry. "We want to know why."

"Does it matter?"

"It does," Tembo said before Sonya could respond. "Answer the question."

"Telling me you want to know why isn't a question. It's a statement. Demanding I answer a question isn't a question either."

Tembo rubbed his head as though a migraine was settling in, but it was more so that he was avoiding punching Nedry in the face for his insolence. "Ask him in question format, Sonya, since he's so damn particular."

Nedry waited and glanced at Wu, who remained sitting in his chair, stoic and still not participating outwardly. He could tell Wu was listening though. Wu sat upright with his arms folded across his chest; his dark eyes were cold and distant. It was his usual position in which he radiated superiority. He might pretend to not be interested, but he was hanging onto every word.

"What made you finally agree to get a velociraptor for Dodgson?" Sonya seized his attention as she ran the surgical scissors up and down his chest.

Nedry watched Sonya play with the surgical scissors and was grateful that he wore a jacket and several layers of clothes underneath. He knew she was trying to distract him so that he would blurt out his reasons for agreeing to Dodgson's request after protesting it…but there was no way he'd allow her or any of them to know what he was thinking that day…

"I don't know." Nedry shrugged. "I just agreed to do it."

"You're lying." Sonya pressed down harder. The surgical scissors ripped his jacket near the left pocket as she dragged it downward, tearing the fabric. "I know you're lying, and so does everyone else."

Nedry forced himself to find another point to focus on. It would help him endure the emotional torture of being questioned about the decision he regretted most. His sneakers, the wall behind Wu, the incandescent light above him...anything to distract himself.

"Did Roland and Raúl wear you down? Maybe you couldn't wait to make a ton of money from that assignment."

"Or maybe he hoped the raptor would slash Muldoon's belly, spilling out his intestines," Lopez added as he neared the gurney and made a slashing motion in the air. He grabbed the extraction forceps from the adjacent tray. "I bet that's what it is. Zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five decided to go along with it because he knew Robert hated them. The opposite of everything he told us that day. What do you think, Roland?"

"Truer words have never been spoken," Tembo said.

Nedry said nothing as he kept trying to distract himself. To this day, he didn't know why he agreed to that assignment. Or more so, he didn't want to know why he went along with it. The burden was too heavy to bear, especially knowing the outcome of that awful day. Still, he tried to hide his intense emotions that were threatening to erupt by maintaining a neutral expression. If he revealed anything—guilt, sadness, anger—they would know they had found his weakness and exploit it. He wouldn't allow them to believe there was a valid reason (or reasons) for why he finally agreed to participate in seizing a velociraptor—and he didn't want his regret and guilt spilling outward in front of them.

"When being excessively talkative is your main character trait, your silence speaks deafening volumes," Tembo said, circling the gurney. "You know exactly why you agreed to Dodgson's assignment. Overwhelming greed, a personal vendetta against Robert Muldoon, and the excitement you experienced every time you made your coworkers' lives a living hell—those are your reasons for following through a demand made on you, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five. Not a request. All of us know that Dr. Dodgson doesn't make requests. His wish is our command, and although you used every excuse in the book for why we shouldn't do the assignment, you ended up doing it anyway."

Nedry clenched his teeth, willing himself not to respond. It was becoming more difficult as the seconds ticked by…

"You made it happen when you turned off the security systems—we couldn't have done it without you," Sonya said in that grating sing-song voice she often used. She tossed the surgical scissors back on the tray and ruffled Nedry's hair, laughing as he tried to avoid her touch.

Lopez was the most thrilled to participate in the question session that was causing distress to Nedry. "Look how quiet you are! Any time you're not mouthing off is a sure sign that your weakness has been tapped into. Let me guess—you still feel depressed that Hammond landed in the hospital and sad that Muldoon ended up with hideous scars."

Nedry counted the cracks on the wall behind Wu, refusing to respond to Lopez's malicious charges. He was so focused on making sure he had the right count that he didn't notice Wu following his gaze. Wu looked over his shoulder at the wall behind him, trying to figure out what had caught Nedry's attention.

"You can lay there and act like you're pleading the fifth so that you don't incriminate yourself…" Lopez said, holding the extraction forceps directly in Nedry's face. "But we'll pull the truth out of you, even if it means your mouth is full of blood and missing teeth by the end of today."

Nedry lost his concentration and glared hatefully at Lopez. "I'd love to see you try."

Tembo and Sonya came around the gurney just as Nedry raised his head and spat a glob of saliva in Lopez's eye. Lopez dropped the extraction forceps and wiped the drippy spit out of his eye.

"Disgusting bastard!" Lopez growled.

Tembo shoved Nedry's head down and held it in place, while Sonya snatched the extraction forceps and handed them to Lopez.

"I'll take you up on that challenge." Lopez waved the extraction forceps like a magic wand. "Hold him down, so that we can start." He grinned wickedly at Nedry. "Sorry, this may hurt a little. We ran out of anesthesia."

Wu slowly rose from his seat; his eyes widened with alarm. He started towards the gurney even as Nedry was still insulting Lopez.

"'Cause you got high off it earlier. I bet all three of you took turns having fun with the anesthesia, just like you have fun massaging Dodgson's stinky feet every night."

"Open your mouth nice and wide, Denny, so we can begin pulling out the truth," Sonya said while Tembo held his head in place.

Lopez had the extraction forceps positioned right over Nedry's mouth as though deciding which tooth to pull out first when the door crashed open and slammed shut. Lewis Dodgson rushed into the basement room, red-faced and furious.

"What the fuck is going on down here?! Who told you all to come down here and waste time with him?" Dodgson gestured at the ring of Biosyn team members surrounding Nedry.

Sonya stepped back as though removing herself from the situation and Tembo released his grip.

"We're keeping watch so he doesn't get any bright ideas of escaping," Lopez said, as though this should be obvious. He tossed the extraction forceps on the tray, disappointed that he couldn't extract Nedry's teeth thanks to Dodgson's untimely interference.

Dodgson turned to Nedry now, a ghastly sneer on his face. "You came here to speak with Henry?"

"No, I came to stare at the wall, Lew. Do paint-by-number with Raúl. Play bridge with Roland and go shopping with Sonya." He refused to waste time reminding Dodgson that they had arranged to meet at Carlos and Charlie's and what had ensued…

Dodgson grabbed the gurney's rail and got in Nedry's face. "Do yourself a fucking favor and don't get smart with me. We all know what I can do to you."

"Yep, I know full well what you're capable of." Nedry focused his attention on Wu, who had retreated and now stood against the wall. "Henry's my InGen brethren. I wanna know how he's doing and what he's been up to, but Lopez who loves to kiss your ass has a problem with it."

Wu squinted at him, astounded by his nerve. For the first time since being down there today, he made an obvious move to respond. He mouthed, what the hell are you doing?! Pissing off Lopez as always, Nedry mouthed back. Lopez's eyes flickered from Nedry to Wu. He had caught their exchange.

"You can't leave Henry down here with him, Dr. Dodgson. Who knows what nonsense Dennis will put in his head?"

Dodgson spun around on Lopez. "I don't want you here by your damn self, never mind Henry. If you're here, you'll be too tempted to kill him."

Lopez played with the strap holding down Nedry's arms and pulled it hard, tightening it. "Why's that a bad thing?" He grinned when he saw Nedry wince. "We'll just cut off your circulation and let you rot away."

Tembo and Sonya watched with bated breath to see how Dodgson would react. They knew better than to challenge Dodgson, and they also knew what happened to those who did—like Nedry.

"Because I'm focused on taking down InGen. That traitorous shithead," Dodgson growled, pointing at Nedry, "is a fucking distraction for us."

"Aren't you the one who said to bring him back here?" Lopez countered. "Now he's here and we're doing nothing about it. We're just talking with him when we should be torturing him."

Dodgson yanked Lopez away from the gurney. He pulled him to the other side of the basement, ignoring Sonya's sharp gasp. Wu and Tembo turned in their direction as did Sonya to see what would happen. Even Nedry watched them, trying to hear what Dodgson was saying to Lopez.

"I don't want you laying a hand on him."

Lopez stared at the ground. He wanted to speak up, although he knew he shouldn't. Questioning Dodgson was like signing your own death warrant. You didn't do it if you wanted to survive under his employment. He forced himself to look up and was glad when he made eye contact with Sonya, who shook her head, and Tembo, who mouthed don't challenge him, we'll get Dennis later. Lopez's irate stare then landed on Wu who still sat comfortably in the chair near Nedry's gurney. Wu glared back at him, unflinching. Lopez sighed, frustrated. Once again, he knew Nedry was up to something—and this time it involved Henry Wu.

"Eyes on the prize, Raúl!" Dodgson snapped his fingers in front of Lopez's face, forcing Lopez to focus his attention on him. "We're not fucking up like last time. Got it?"

"What about George Lawala? He's not here because Dennis convinced him—" Being intimidated by Dodgson caused Lopez to forget to use Nedry's department identification number.

"What. Did. I. Just. Say?!"

"Eyes on the prize. Don't come down here by myself."

Dodgson smiled widely, but everyone could tell that his smile didn't light up his eyes. "Exactly. If you're gonna check on our little ex-con, then you're coming down with Roland or Sonya. Or Henry." He pointed at each of them, singling them out. "Not alone. Are we clear as fucking crystal or what?"

"As fucking crystal."

Lopez knew he hadn't come down to Nedry's basement prison by himself. He had been with Sonya and Tembo the entire time, while Wu was a quiet spectator. At the same time, he knew not to contradict Dodgson. He glanced at Nedry now and saw that self-satisfied smirk that always infuriated him. His hands closed into tight fists—it was an instinctual reaction whenever he was around Nedry. He wanted to pound in that hacker's face just as he did that night in the jail cell—break his nose or make it so that his eye was swollen shut—but he couldn't lay a finger on him…not with Dodgson around.

"Good." Dodgson walked away from Lopez, leaving him standing by himself on the other side of the basement. He went back to the gurney and picked up the scalpel. "I want you to understand one thing, Dennis—and it's very simple."

Despite being uncomfortable with the tightness of the gurney's straps restraining him, Nedry pretended to sit calmly, like an eager student wanting to show his teacher that he was paying full attention to the lesson being taught.

"Sure thing, Dr. Dodgson."

"You won't leave here unscathed; I can promise you that. I'm gonna give you something to always remember me by. You'll never see yourself the same way again." Dodgson tapped the scalpel on his own face before tossing it back on the tray.

Nedry had a serious expression on his face for the span of five seconds and then he burst out laughing. "Whatever you fucking say!"

Dodgson's expression remained deadpan. "Don't worry, I'll make sure it's a surprise." To the rest of everyone else, he pointed at the door. "Get out."

Tembo shook his head, obviously annoyed, but was the first to leave, followed by Sonya. Lopez watched them exit and then turned to Nedry and Wu.

"Dr. Dodgson, these two…"

"Get out, Lopez. Now."

Lopez sent Nedry a murderous glare. "Even now, you manage to manipulate Dodgson so that he caters to you." He turned back to Dodgson, as though begging him to listen to reason. "He's gonna be the end of us—I know it. We should just kill him already."

Nedry made an exaggerated pouting expression. "Please don't ugly cry!"

"Get the fuck out before I push you out myself!" Dodgson demanded. "Don't make me say it a fourth time!"

Lopez marched out, but not before throwing a dirty look in Wu's direction and pointing at Nedry.

Dodgson watched as Lopez left the basement, leaving Wu and Nedry. "I'll give you one minute, Henry, and that's it. You and everyone else can figure out how you want to guard our favorite prisoner."

Wu was surprised when Dodgson left him alone with Nedry. When he was sure Dodgson was out of earshot, he stood up in front of the gurney.

"You still got Lew wrapped around your finger." Wu didn't try to disguise his condescension. "How you do it, I have no idea. I'm not sure if it amazes me or disgusts me—probably both."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Dodgson told Lopez to lay off you."

"That doesn't mean anything." Nedry shook his head, frustrated. "You think him putting Lopez in line in front of me means he's on Team Dennis?"

Wu smirked. "You mean Team zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five?"

Nedry's jaw tightened as he stared at Wu in silence. That was the only visible sign that gave away his anger about being called by his department identification number.

Wu tried again, making sure that his mocking tone was obvious. "What's wrong, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five? You got quiet all of a sudden. Dodgson's got your tongue?"

"I only respond to my name, and you know damn well what it is. So don't pull that yik-yak with me." Nedry pulled against the straps in a futile effort to free himself. "It's really pathetic how low you'll stoop in order to fit in with your beloved brood of vipers."

"I doubt there's anyone lower than you. Unless you know such a person?"

"I'm talking to him right now. Henry Wu, the lowest of the low. Once upon a time, he was known fondly as Jurassic Park's 'Miracle Worker'. Now, he's just a bottom-feeder ass-kissing Dodgson lackey who loves being willfully ignorant."

Wu's smirk vanished. An enraged snarl erupted from him as he balled up his fist and punched Nedry in the face. "Say that about me again and I'm punching you in the throat next time. Hopefully, it'll permanently damage your vocal cords." He wiped Nedry's blood on his pants.

Nedry watched Wu wipe his hands and licked the blood leaking from his mouth. "Fine, I'll play nicely—but you better use my name."

"It bothers you that much, huh zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five?"

Nedry let out a dry laugh. "Nope, because one day they'll only be known as numbers and be forced to eat their words. You'll be known as a number too, if you don't pull your head out of your ass." He let that sink in before making his final point. "What bothers me is you're still wearing that wool over your eyes, Henry. Even after all this time."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!"

"Pay attention, Captain Obvious. If you think I have Lewis Dodgson wrapped around my finger, you're lying to yourself. The last time he reprimanded Lopez in front of me, hours later you poured lizard guts on me at his command. It's his stupid mind games."

"What do you mean?" Wu sighed, his anger subsiding. He didn't want to admit it, but he was curious.

Nedry thought he was being deliberately obtuse. "You really love that wool, don't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Dodgson does this on purpose because he knows Lopez and I hate each other with an unrelenting passion. He'll act like he's putting one of us in check in front of the other—and then turn against the one he pretended to defend. It's nothing new." When Nedry saw Wu's knitted eyebrows, he elaborated further. "You forgot that day with the lizard guts? You were there when it happened. Stop acting like you don't know."

Wu fumbled with his pants pocket, unsure of how to respond. He knew what incident Nedry referred to. It was the time Biosyn had taken over Isla Nublar, Dodgson had Nedry turn off the fences so that he and Wu could conduct "scientific discoveries". Lawala and Tembo had slaughtered a baby stegosaur and Sonya and Lopez had poached a juvenile dilophosaur—both dinosaurs had been killed in their own paddocks at Dodgson's orders. After they completed their "scientific discoveries", Dodgson had the team eviscerate both animals and had the guts poured on Nedry to humiliate him further—all to keep him in line. Wu remembered the occurrence happening in the visitor center's cafeteria and that Nedry was made to feel like he was extremely held in low regard by Dodgson and everyone on the team. To add insult to injury, Dodgson made it so that Nedry had to report to Lopez. Wu also recalled now that he had been the one that dumped the dinosaur entrails…

"I don't have enough time to do this," Nedry mumbled under his breath.

Wu wasn't sure what he referred to and he stared at the door as more memories flashed through his mind. He had sought out Nedry later that night and they had a conversation in the cafeteria, which Wu had initiated. It was centered on the isolation both men felt. Nedry was more familiar with the loneliness associated with being a traitor, whereas for Wu, it was an entirely new experience and unbearable. He hated feeling like he had nobody to confide in or call a friend. The InGen staff rejected him for what he had done against them and the Biosyn team didn't fully accept him either. He was in the middle and completely alone.

"You're quiet today. That's not like you."

"What?" Wu asked, turning back to Nedry.

He was unsure if he had heard him right. Even though he had punched Nedry in the face minutes ago, Wu was surprised to hear the note of concern in his voice. If anything, Nedry should be furious at him, not worried for him—at least, that's how Wu viewed the situation. Wu knew for a fact that he wouldn't be worried for Nedry if their roles were reversed.

"I said you're quiet today. That's not like you."

"What's like me, then?" Wu challenged, resuming his mask of superiority. "Since you think you know me so well."

Nedry shrugged, but a smug grin lit his face. "Usually, you're in my face and beating on your chest about being Jurassic Park's 'Miracle Worker'."

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, that's all."

"About what?"

Wu was silent for a full minute before his words stumbled out. Inwardly, he was furious at himself for showing cracks in his psyche. He needed to be mentally solid, but…Nedry was good at honing on his weaknesses.

"It's nothing…I have to go…"

He wasn't sure what else to say, especially as a wave of shame hit him. Had he really backstabbed Hammond, poured dinosaur guts on Nedry, and participated in bullying his InGen coworkers? For some reason, he felt his entire betrayal crashing down on him now. He avoided Nedry's accusing stare.

"I'll be back later."

"Next time you're down here, throw out that damn wool. You should be tired of walking around blind, but for some reason you enjoy it." Nedry cracked up laughing, entertained by the thought of Wu choosing to remain in a state of blissful ignorance.

Wu rushed out and locked the door behind him. Long after he had left the basement, he still heard Nedry's harsh laughter ringing in his ears.

"You never find yourself until you face the truth." - Pearl Bailey

oOo

It was mid-morning of the following day when Corey Anderson removed from his car several cups of hot coffee and bagels that he had purchased at a nearby deli. They were laid out on a box tray. He anticipated it would be a long day at the precinct. So far, he had been able to compile solid information regarding Lewis Dodgson and everyone associated with him. He didn't think it would take much longer to stake out the building where they were hiding, but something told him more information would be revealed today.

By the time he got to his office, John Hammond, Robert Muldoon, and Ian Malcolm were waiting for him. Malcolm and Muldoon held the coffee and bagels while he opened the door and gestured to them to enter his office first. After locking the door behind him, he set up the listening station, so that they could find out if any significant conversation had occurred in the past twelve hours.

"Feel free to help yourselves," Anderson said, pointing at the coffee and bagels that Malcolm and Muldoon placed on his desk.

Everyone partook and sat down across from Anderson's desk. He held up a cassette tape that had been used to make a copy of the recent recording from last night. Anderson could see they were puzzled by the way they stared back at him, so he explained that the latest recording was from the night before and that everything had already been transcribed for written records. In fact, a pile of six cassette tapes sat on his desk with another pile of six corresponding folders. Each one held recorded conversations that had been transcribed. Placing the cassette in a tape player, he pressed the play button, and everyone listened to the conversation between Dennis Nedry and Henry Wu. When it was completely over, Hammond sat back in his chair, stunned. This recorded conversation was the heaviest one yet.

"Can you replay that part again, Detective Anderson?" Hammond asked as got up and picked up a second cup of coffee. "The part where it sounded like Henry threw something? It was when Dennis mentioned Dodgson sabotaging the park."

Malcolm and Muldoon sat on either side of Hammond, nodding in agreement.

"The conversation sounds ominous at certain parts, and hopeful in others," Malcolm pointed out. "It's not consistent."

"Dennis came at him hard in the end," Muldoon added. "Especially when he was reminding Henry that Ray begged him to come back to InGen. I never imagined he would do that."

"He's giving his all," Hammond said. "I'm really amazed by what he's gotten out of Henry so far."

"It's already there—his ambivalence about being aligned with Biosyn," Malcolm said, "but now Dennis is tapping into it and Henry knows it too."

Anderson found the marker that Hammond referred to. He also noted how the conversations were being transcribed. It would be helpful to read and comb through them at a later point. For now, he was glad that they were making progress. Anderson turned the volume up and pressed play. The room was silent as they listened. Anderson watched them carefully, noting their reactions.

"Does John have plans to open up Jurassic Park?" Wu sounded genuinely curious.

"I have no idea, Henry. Why do you think I know about this?" Nedry sounded annoyed as though he didn't want to bother with this question.

"The only condition that I'll come back under is if John Hammond opens up Jurassic Park to the world."

Hammond sat back in his chair when he heard that part. He took it to me that Wu would only return on his own terms. Inwardly, he was saddened by Wu's self-centered ambitions—but he also understood that Wu wanted to be recognized for his accomplishments. Next to him, Malcolm appeared deep in thought.

"Wow, aren't you quite the selfish asshole?"

Muldoon suppressed a knowing smile. Leave it to Nedry to call Wu out. Then they heard Wu talking.

"If Hammond wants to open up Jurassic Park, then Dodgson will find a way to sabotage it."

There was a brief silence and then Nedry responded:

"So, you want to know when Hammond plans to open the park to the world—just so Dodgson can go screw it up?"

"That's NOT what I meant!"

"Defensive as ever," Malcolm noted.

"How else did you mean it? You're a hot mess, Henry. Even better, You're a walking personality disorder. I know what this is about. You know Dodgson has something up his sleeve—that he's planning to sabotage the park or InGen again. What's his plan this time?"

"Not a damn thing. There's no 'plan'."

They heard Nedry chuckling.

"You're a worse liar than me—you're—what the hell?!"

Moments later, an object smashed against a wall. It might've been a glass plate or ceramic bowl.

"That's it—that part right there!" Hammond pointed at the recording and transcribing device that was part of the listening station.

Anderson paused it.

"Based on what Henry said, it sounds like Dodgson has something planned, but what?" Hammond quickly looked from Muldoon to Malcolm, hoping they would have a reasonable answer for him. "What do you guys think?"

"It could be anything, John." Muldoon said. "Lewis Dodgson has no limits."

Hammond finished his coffee and squeezed his cup, anxious and angry all at once. "I'm not waiting around this time to see what he does—I want him stopped before he starts."

"I understand." Anderson nodded empathetically. "We will apprehend him. I just want to see if we can get another day's worth of recording." He took out a folder bearing the name Lewis Dodgson.

Muldoon took a bite out of a plain bagel with cream cheese and chewed thoughtfully. He held up his finger, indicating he wanted to add a thought once he was finished eating.

"Dodgson wants revenge, that much is bloody obvious. We heard him tell Dennis that he'll start a 'shitstorm', and now Henry mentioned that he'll find a way to sabotage John's project."

Anderson took out a pen and pocket notebook from his desk and returned to the listening station. Clicking the pen and flipping open the small notebook, he was ready to jot notes. "Tell me more about Lewis Dodgson from Biosyn."

"Biosyn is our company's rival," Hammond said. "They've had Lewis Dodgson target us many times. As you know, he's managed to sway two of my employees to do his bidding."

"Go on. Does Biosyn have an issue with Dodgson's tactics?"

"They seem to look the other way or encourage it," Hammond said. "I don't know for sure, but they haven't stopped him before."

Anderson took this into account and looked up when he heard Muldoon follow after Hammond.

"He's extremely dangerous and willingly puts his own employees in harm's way," Muldoon said. "He's the reason behind Henry's downfall. Dennis, too, but he eventually came around."

Muldoon's eyes took on a steely glint when he remembered asking Nedry about Dodgson when they were sailing back to Isla Nublar. To this day, he was glad that he had believed what Nedry had told him—especially since it was only a matter of hours before he finally met Lewis Dodgson face-to-face. That same night Wu revealed he had chosen to align himself with Biosyn.

"What has he done before? Do you know anything about his history?"

Muldoon glanced at Hammond. He knew Hammond had more information about Dodgson.

"Lewis Dodgson is aggressive; he was the head of research at Biosyn and has broken the law multiple times. There's a saying that Biosyn has more lawyers than scientists. He's the reason why."

Hammond stood up to throw out his empty cup in the garbage bin near the door. As he did so, he glanced around Anderson's office, noting the awards and certificates he had received for his work in law enforcement. Anderson and Dodgson were complete opposites. As much as Anderson had served and protected his community in his line of work, Dodgson had broken the law and engaged in multiple unethical studies.

"He's responsible for exposing Chilean farmers to an airborne version of rabies; they had no idea they were at risk. Ten farmers died. He had it contained on a carry-on bag, which he placed on a flight." Hammond shook his head as he sat down again.

Anderson drew in a sharp breath. Lewis Dodgson sounded atrocious. He wondered how he was able to convince anyone to lose their careers and risk their reputations for him. Anderson figured he must've been very charismatic and convincing—and he knew his targets' weaknesses.

"That's not even half of it." Hammond had noticed Anderson's alarmed reaction. "There's more."

"Go on."

"He test-marketed a genetically engineered potato and put it in markets. Nobody had known the potatoes were altered. Many children got diarrhea, and some were even hospitalized," Hammond said, who now forced himself to sit up straight in the chair.

By now, he was starting to feel tired, as if he wanted to take a nap. The focus on Dodgson was taking a toll on him. It was probably hearing about all the horrible things he had done to harm people with no remorse. When he thought about it more, it was also the knowledge that someone so malicious had managed to exploit Wu's and Nedry's weaknesses and frustrations and corrupt them to the extent that they betrayed those who trusted them. The fact that Dodgson thought nothing of severely harming anyone he perceived as a threat was the last straw for Hammond.

"And where InGen is concerned?" Anderson asked, wanting to make sure he got the information. The more, the better, and the more convincing it would be for a jury to convict him and a judge to sentence him to a lengthy prison term.

"The list is endless," Malcolm said, turning in his chair to face Anderson. "First, you must understand that he's a master manipulator. Imagine Dodgson as a puppeteer and Dennis and Henry are his marionettes. He knows—or rather, he knew how to pull their strings. Dodgson offered Dennis over a million dollars to steal from InGen, and with Henry, he's exploiting how he craves worldwide recognition. Ah, let's see what else: abandonment."

Anderson's eyebrows rose questioningly. "Abandonment?"

"It's not an official crime, but more of a, uh, a statement about how he let Dennis face trial by jury and prison by himself. He sent his team to trespass on InGen property and steal animal specimens, but before that, he avoided responsibility for his role. After the incident where John had a stroke…" Malcolm motioned towards Hammond and then Muldoon. "Robert was badly injured, and Dennis decided he wanted nothing to do with Lewis Dodgson anymore. Once he made that decision, Dodgson put a hit on him."

Malcolm paused as he stood up to get a second cup of coffee. He took a sip and then placed the cup down on Anderson's desk. Still standing by the desk, Malcolm ticked off his fingers.

"He took over InGen by pretending to be a board director, made advances on my girlfriend, Ellie—it was sexual harassment. He made her feel uncomfortable countless times."

"He slapped her too," Muldoon said, toneless. "Twice."

"He did what?!" Hammond was shocked as he looked back and forth at Malcolm and Muldoon.

There were certain things that the staff hadn't told him about the time he was hospitalized…or maybe it was so much, that he didn't remember it all. Either way, he was disgusted at how far Dodgson had gone.

"Dodgson intimidated Tim to the point where the entire staff had to always be around him to ensure his safety. I found that out when I returned to the island with Lex, Dr. Grant, and Dennis—Ellie told me. Before that, his staff micro-managed and bullied John's employees. They locked me and John's grandchildren in the bunker for days. Didn't matter that we were running out of food at one point..." Malcolm clenched his fists from just thinking about it. "Robert, is there anything else I'm leaving out?"

Muldoon picked up where Malcolm left off. "He tried to start a fight with Dr. Grant and lost that one. One of the most awful things he did was ordering his team to beat Dennis half to death—and this is after he bribed the arresting officer to look the other way—literally—while it was happening."

Anderson had his pen paused over his pocket notebook as he glanced at Hammond, wondering how he was processing all this. It wasn't the first time this information was discussed, but it was confirmation that it was all true. Hammond had taken off his hat and was staring at it. He sighed deeply, saddened by how much damage Dodgson had done. All these horrendous things, simply because he was determined to get what he wanted no matter what the cost.

"I think we've covered bloody everything. Oh, and one last thing—he had his group kidnap Dennis and I, leaving us stranded on a nearby island, Isla Sorna."

"The group that consists of Roland Tembo, Raúl Lopez, Sonya Durant, George Lawala, Howard King and George Baselton?" Anderson flipped through his pages and found their names listed. He circled the list and put an asterisk as a reminder to himself.

"George Lawala was with them at the time, but he's under InGen employment now," Hammond said. "He had a change of heart; and I don't want him to be arrested or face charges."

"King and Baselton weren't there when they dropped us off on the island," Muldoon added to clarify. "They were involved in Dodgson's plot to kill Dennis."

Anderson nodded. He remembered Nedry telling him that in the prison when Hammond was present.

By the time they were finished, Anderson had an entire page scribbled back and front with Dodgson's crimes. "There's a lot of hefty charges he can face based on what you've all described. That all of them can and will face. What do you think he'll do next?"

"Anything is possible with Lewis Dodgson," Malcolm said. "He has no conscience."

"Anything," Muldoon emphasized and stretched his arms over his head. Although the coffee could wake him up, he needed to step outside to take a quick drink from his flask.

Hammond looked up now, meeting Anderson's eyes. Anderson could see Hammond pleading with him before he spoke up.

"That's why I want him stopped before he does anything—I have no idea what he'll do next to harm my staff and sabotage my island…he really has no limits."

"Listening to you all discuss InGen and Biosyn, it sounds more like rival gangs than competing biotech companies," Anderson said.

He went over to his desk and placed down the pocket notebook and pen. As he did so, he heard the chairs scraping the floor as Hammond and Muldoon stood up. Weariness was etched on their faces. Even Malcolm looked exhausted as he stepped away from Anderson's desk. They needed a mental break after discussing Dodgson, and admittedly, Anderson did too. They were drained from going over everything Dodgson had done to harm everyone in InGen—and others who had no idea of how dangerous he really was, including the Chilean farmers and families who had fallen victim to his crazy experiments.

For Anderson, although he had seen a lot during his years in law enforcement, Lewis Dodgson struck him as a sociopath who checked every box. Every trait was there. Glib, superficial charm. Lack of empathy. Pathological lying. No remorse. Impulsivity. Controlling others through threats, physical aggression, and violence. No wonder Dennis was afraid to face him again, Anderson thought. He understood now…and now everyone needed a breather. They could regroup after lunch. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was a quarter to twelve.

"Why don't we take an hour break. Grab something to eat, it's on me." Anderson reached into his wallet and gave Muldoon, Hammond, and Malcolm vouchers for nearby eateries. "Then we'll continue where we left off."

"That's a good idea," Malcolm agreed. "We can contact Alan and Ellie, find out how they're doing with the interviews for the job candidates."

"I'll call Ray," Muldoon chimed in. He knew Malcolm was trying to distract Hammond by helping him to refocus on his goal to hire new park staff.

After they thanked Anderson and left his office, he sat down in his chair and reread all the notes he had taken. The tape player caught his eye and he stared at it, amazed at how much had already been recorded ever since Nedry went in as a confidential informant. And now, everything Malcolm, Hammond, and Muldoon had shared supported Nedry's written statement. Anderson had all the evidence of Lewis Dodgson's cruel and extreme behavior.

"My God…"

oOo

Despite the frigid temperature in the basement of Dodgson's new headquarters, Nedry tried to force himself to get much needed rest, even if it meant only closing his eyes. It was difficult because he felt like he was stuck in the middle of a blizzard with no winter coat, gloves, hat, or scarf. Even so, he closed his eyes if it meant his headache would subside. Today started out different—there was nobody from Biosyn watching him. Nobody wearing him down. Even Sonya Durant hadn't stopped by.

Because the day started out differently, he immediately knew something was up. He wanted to let his guard down and get some rest, but his hypervigilance wouldn't allow him. He was constantly staying alert, listening, and scanning for threats. It was becoming more and more exhausting as the days passed, and the lack of sleep made it worse. His heart constantly knocking against his chest, and he had to force himself to breathe slowly, to try and remain calm. Being hypervigilant from his time in prison never ceased, no matter how much time had passed. He found it frustrating and today was no exception.

Still, Nedry decided to try to rest. No sooner had he closed his eyes when he heard the door open. He listened carefully; it sounded like two or three people had entered the room. He could tell by the overlapping footsteps. Whoever came in tried to be quiet and now Nedry sensed someone standing over him. His eyes shot open just in time to see an upside-down view of Roland Tembo grinning down at him and holding what appeared to be a leather strap. At the same moment, the upper portion of the gurney was adjusted so that he was lying flat instead of in a sitting up position.

"Rise and shine," Tembo said, wrapping the leather strap around Nedry's neck and tying it behind the gurney. "Try lifting your head now."

Lopez circled the gurney, double-checking the straps and tightening them, making it impossible for Nedry to twist around. "Now you're all comfy and cozy."

Tembo stood beside the gurney. "Perfect, he's ready."

Nedry had barely registered what was happening, when suddenly Dodgson leaned into his face, a murderous gleam in his slate gray eyes.

"It's time for us to have that talk. I'm gonna ask you some questions, Dennis, and you better tell me the fucking truth."

Nedry tried to remain calm, but Tembo had tied the leather strap tightly, making his neck burn.

"Where's the laptop?"

"What are you—talking—about?" His words came out in a weird sputter. Nedry didn't know if it was because he was severely sleep deprived or because his neck was cramping from the leather strap. He felt like he was choking.

"That's not the answer I'm looking for. Where's that fucking laptop?!"

"I don't know wh—"

"The laptop I told you to download all InGen's information and research. You know which one I'm talking about."

"You took it—!"

"You put a computer virus on that one." Dodgson leaned in closer so that he was practically eyeball-to-eyeball with Nedry. Then he suddenly pulled away and picked up something off the floor. "Does this look familiar?!"

Nedry's eyes widened when he recognized his laptop.

Dodgson lifted the laptop high over his head and brought it down, smashing it on the gurney rails. Tembo didn't budge and watched the entire scene, maintaining an icy demeanor. Lopez backed off, shocked by Dodgson's violence. Dodgson wasn't finished as he slammed it repeatedly on the rails.

The entire time, Nedry tried not to flinch in fear. For an instant, he thought Dodgson intended to smash the laptop across his face. In the next second, he saw a flash of gray. His head exploded with pain and his nose throbbed horribly. He barely had time to register that his laptop was being used as a weapon against him. He thought he heard Lopez howling with laughter in the background, hoarse and sadistic. Of course, Lopez would find it hilarious that Dodgson hit Nedry with his own laptop. With an animalistic grunt, Dodgson threw the laptop at the far wall.

"It's fucking dead now—just like you should be! You made another laptop with InGen's secrets—you better tell me where it is."

"I…didn't…no idea…" He couldn't formulate a response.

Dodgson appeared blurry above him. A headache like nails being driven into his temples spread through his skull. All he wanted to do was sleep—and he couldn't thanks to Tembo's leather strap wrapped around his neck, Dodgson's bizarre accusations and lifeless gray eyes, and Lopez pulling the restraints so tight that his limbs were cramping worse than before. It was bad enough that he'd been immobile for several days and completely unable to defend himself whenever they felt like attacking him.

He wondered how he had managed to talk sense into Wu this entire time. It wasn't just the possibility of a sentence commutation motivating him. He had to get through to Wu before it was too late—before Wu changed his mind. Nedry knew he was making progress by forcing Wu to look inside himself—but he still had to get him out of there before Dodgson snuffed out their lives. He had no idea how he would accomplish that—and Dodgson would send them to an early grave once he realized that Nedry was there to persuade Wu to return to InGen. He probably knew already and was just playing along until the right moment came to reveal everything. Right now, Nedry was baffled by Dodgson's suggestion that he had a second laptop floating around somewhere with InGen's information, knowledge, and research. All their top secrets. Where the hell did that come from?! Nedry wondered. Who put that idea in his head?

"There's no second—" He froze when he saw Lopez pick up the tray of surgical instruments.

"I don't like it when people lie to my face." Dodgson received the tray of surgical instruments Lopez passed to him. He fiddled with the tools, deciding which one he should use first. "Didn't you make a back-up? I thought that's what little hackers like yourself do. Make back-ups."

"There's no other laptop—and there's no back-up—I swear." His words burst forth just as Dodgson held up the extraction forceps to the light.

"The problem with liars like yourself, Dennis, is when you finally tell the truth, no one believes you," Tembo said. "And for the record, I don't believe you a single syllable that you say. No one here does."

Lopez nodded in full agreement. "Preach!"

Nedry watched with bulging eyes as Dodgson placed down the extraction forceps on the tray. He heard Lopez's and Tembo's taunts and did everything he could to block them out. Right now, he needed to focus on Dodgson who loomed over him, beet-faced and angry. He knew from experience that Dodgson was at his absolute worst when he was furious. This was not going to end well…

"You ruined me in front of the entire board of directors at Biosyn—you lied back then, and even now you're still fucking lying!"

Nedry tried twisting again, barely budging an inch. His body temperature plummeted when he saw Dodgson picking up each surgical tool, marveling and turning them in the light—he was excited to finally use them. This can't be happening, Nedry thought as terror ripped through him. He clenched his fists, determined to hold onto his sanity for whatever Dodgson planned on doing.

"I'm gonna take care of InGen for good, starting with you first. Then I'll graduate to his grandbrats."

Dodgson took a skin surgical marker that Tembo offered him. Nedry watched, bewildered, as he tried to piece together what was happening.

"Do you still have that photograph I told you to bring?" Dodgson asked as he held out his right hand for the two latex gloves that Lopez gave him.

Tembo reached into his pocket and unfolded a photo, while Dodgson slipped the latex gloves on his hands. Nedry squinted, trying to see who was in the picture. He only got a glimpse of the stone-faced expression and facial scars. It was enough for him to recognize that it was a photo of Muldoon taken some time after the raptor attack.

His heart raced up his throat and his mouth tasted like copper—Nedry immediately knew what was about to happen.

There was no question or doubt in his mind, and he struggled again, trying to pull his arms and legs free from the straps. Lopez and Tembo watched him, impassive and detached. Their cold silence was worse to Nedry now because it meant they were waiting for Dodgson to act.

"Thank you—and one more."

The deadly silence was broken by that eerie calm voice that only Dodgson could muster—especially when he was on the verge of flying into a full-blown rage. Or when he had already raged and was trying to stifle it. It always unnerved Nedry how Dodgson could go from serene to ballistic (and vice versa) in a matter of seconds, and sometimes with the slightest provocation. He saw Tembo hand over another picture to Dodgson—and now he recognized his booking photo. It was a newspaper clipping of him holding up the placard with his information. A rattled sigh escaped from him when he realized it was his booking photo from the beginning of his incarceration—and when he saw the black lines on his face that had been drawn on the paper.

Dodgson studied both photos carefully for some time. He didn't look up when he spoke with that same steel calm voice.

"You're a hypocrite, Dennis. You're a liar, a fucking traitor. You're scared because you know what this is about. Don't you."

Play dumb, Nedry thought, but even as he tried to convince himself, memories of taunting Muldoon for the scars on his face kept replaying in his mind. I was a horrible sack of shit back then. He didn't want to remember the obnoxious man he had once been—because he knew he could never justify his past actions. They were beyond reprehensible. Still, he heard himself telling Muldoon (in his most nauseating cheerful tone) that he needed plastic surgery. Other inflammatory comments replayed in his mind: Rob's just mad because a raptor petted him. Need a band-aid? Did you cry when they scratched you with their mean little claws?

Nedry tried to find a point to focus on as he had done many times before. His sneakers, the wall with all the cracks—it had always worked. So why wasn't it working now? He imagined the room spun around him. His stomach was queasy as though it had just discovered it had food poisoning and wanted to vomit out all its contents. His terror was so intense that dizziness overtook him. If only he could disassociate and mentally remove himself, then he would win. He would be victorious, and they would all be sore losers because all Dodgson and his cronies wanted to do was break him mentally until he could no longer put himself back together again.

"This is about the Golden Rule." Dodgson sounded like he was talking about his favorite meal.

Nedry's breathing was coming out in uneven gasps now and he forced himself to breathe calmly. He had to show that he wasn't afraid—just like that night in the cell…but he remembered that they had broken him that night while Dodgson enjoyed every moment of his awful humiliation. Watching him endure a gang beating was pure entertainment for Dodgson. Something told him this would be far worse this time and that he wouldn't walk away unscathed. Despite the choking fear, Nedry was determined not to have a repeat of Dodgson breaking his spirit.

"Whoever has the gold—makes the rules." Nedry let out an uneasy chuckle. "I…I have gold so I can make the rules—or bend them. Maybe even break them?"

Above him, Tembo and Lopez glanced at Dodgson, watching to see how he would respond.

Dodgson let out an exaggerated sigh of frustration. "No, it's 'do onto others as you would have them do onto you'."

All was quiet for several moments. Nedry willed himself to breathe slower, so that his fear was managed instead of the other way around: his fear managing him. At first, he thought Dodgson had changed his mind—until he heard him announce what he was dreading.

"Gentlemen, prepare our patient for surgery."

Nedry's heart slammed so hard he thought it would punch a hole through his chest.

oOo

They came back to Anderson's office an hour and a half later. Anderson accepted that they came back a little later than originally planned. It was just a half hour and they needed time to recuperate. As before, Anderson allowed them to sit in his office and closed the door so they could continue to discuss everything privately. He had also brought in newly brewed coffee. Everything was already set up so that they could listen in on Nedry's wire today.

"If you don't mind, Mr. Anderson, I would like to hear again the final part of last night's conversation with Henry and Dennis," Hammond said as he sat down.

Anderson noticed that Hammond appeared refreshed—somewhat. The older man was focused and determined. "Absolutely. I have this station set up for today's recordings, but I have the tape on my desk so that we could hear it again."

They could listen to the recordings live as they were happening—meaning that if Wu and Nedry were to have a conversation right now in real time, Anderson and everyone could hear it as it was taking place. Muldoon took a seat at the desk, curious to see if anything new would happen today. There were two sets of headphones and a button where Muldoon could make it so that everyone in the room heard it. When they had first returned from lunch, Anderson checked to see if there was anything new recorded and there wasn't. For now, he went back to his desk and played the recording from last night for Hammond and Malcolm. He had to fast forward past the sound of the object breaking as there was a long span of silence after that. Finally, he found the part where Wu and Nedry resumed their conversation.

"I think he's getting through to him," Hammond said as he leaned forward. "Slowly, but surely."

"How do you know?" Anderson asked. He drank his cup of coffee, forcing himself to stay awake.

Malcolm offered his view on the matter. "Because Dennis is making poignant observations and Henry's not responding near the end. It probably means he's thinking everything over."

"I know we don't agree most of the time, Dr. Malcolm—"

"Ah, I believe you mean all of the time, John." He offered a light-hearted smile.

"But I really think you're onto something. It's gre—"

At the listening station, Muldoon gestured for Anderson to come over. Anderson came from around his desk to join him. Malcolm and Hammond got out of their seats and came over to the desk where Muldoon was sitting. They could hear jumbled sounds of voices from the listening post.

"This is bloody disturbing," Muldoon whispered as he stared at the electronic device that transmitted the conversations from the other end.

Anderson removed the headphones and turned up the volume.

All four listened carefully. There was a loud rumbling—a table falling over, a clattering of objects dropped to the floor, grunting and scuffling—like a desperate struggle was taking place. And then they heard Lewis Dodgson. His voice always tried to sound pleasant; but held undercurrents of rage—and the way he dropped the word "fuck" like it was a form of punctuation.

"Keep fighting—you'll make it fucking worse for yourself."

Nedry's furious tone matched Dodgson's, but based on the choppy manner he spoke, they realized he was the one struggling the most. "What the hell—STOP! —Get off—"

It was quiet and then Dodgson asked for a scalpel—quite calm unlike the fury in his voice just moments ago. Then: "Thank you, Raúl."

"My pleasure!" Lopez sounded enthusiastic.

There was more grunting and then a long yelp of pain that sounded like Dodgson. A loud clapping noise followed.

"Duct tape his fucking mouth—you're not biting me again. Nice try."

"This should do the trick." Tembo's voice was instantly recognizable followed by the distinct ripping sound of duct tape being pulled and torn.

"You'll need to wrap it with gauze. Let me find some," Lopez said.

Several moments of silence and then they heard Dodgson again, only this time, he sounded serene. "Perfect. You only delayed the inevitable, Dennis. Let's begin!"

Muldoon abruptly pushed away from the desk and bolted up; his eyes widened with fright. "I can't listen to this—we have to get in there!" He reached to stop the recording device when Anderson blocked his path.

"I know it's hard to listen to, but this is solid proof that we can use when bringing up charges against Dodgson and his guys."

"So, we let Dennis take whatever they're doing?! Because it's obvious that Dodgson is having fun with whatever he's about to do—same with Lopez and Tembo!"

"No," Anderson said, more adamant this time. "We let this play out. It's difficult, but these were the risks—"

"That he bloody warned us about!"

Muldoon stormed out of Anderson's office, slamming the door behind him. Malcolm was going to bring him back and stopped when he saw Hammond shaking his head.

"He'll come back," Hammond whispered as he stared at the floor. "It's hard for him…for all of us."

Anderson understood that Hammond wanted to leave the office so that he wouldn't have to continue listening to the recording. It had gotten worse with Lopez's and Tembo's raucous laughter. All three men quickly left his office. They stood outside by the door and Anderson made sure to close it without locking himself out.

"You have to know their history to understand his reaction," Malcolm said gesturing to Muldoon who hurried down the hallway. "Robert and Dennis held this intense hatred towards each other for years. When Dodgson's gang dropped them off at Isla Sorna—in the hopes that they would literally kill each other off—they were forced to work together to survive. During that time, they were able to see beyond the caricature versions that they held of each other."

"It sounds like they developed a better understanding on both sides," Anderson said.

"Exactly, and it took a lot of effort from both men to get to that point." Malcolm looked at Hammond now, who appeared sullen. His eyes were downcast, and he held his hat in a tight grip. "Let's take a few minutes."

Anderson realized it would be better for them to leave for now until whatever was happening was over.

"You guys can go. If you want to wait out in the front lobby of the precinct, that's fine. I'll call you as soon as this whole thing is over—hopefully soon," Anderson said. "We'll use all these recordings against Dodgson and his associates, but I understand this is very difficult right now."

Malcolm nodded and left the precinct with Hammond.

oOo

It was mid-afternoon when Wu went down to the basement—and stopped halfway there when he saw Sonya and Baselton waiting outside of Nedry's room, as though standing guard. Before going down, Howard King had engaged him in a conversation about genetic research, frog DNA, and sequence gaps. Wu had been suspicious as King never spoke to him. After about an hour, he politely excused himself and went down to the first floor. He couldn't find anyone. That meant they could only be in one place… Wu paused mid-step, unsure if he should turn around and return to his office or continue onward. He forced him to go through with this. He had to go down this time and stop whatever might be happening. Last time, he hadn't and Nedry got waterboarded.

It was too late—they already spotted him. Sonya gestured at him to come forward. He resolved not to reveal any emotion. By the time he reached them, he had assumed his usual haughty expression. The condescending one in which everyone felt Wu was looking down on them.

"What brings you down here, Henry?" Sonya cooed sweetly.

"I was going to—"

Wu looked at her and Baselton and then at the door. He thought he heard Dodgson talking, Tembo shouting, and Lopez laughing from inside the room—followed by a yell of pain that didn't come from any of them. That sounds like Dennis, he thought, worried now. He needed to get in there. Without thinking, Wu started towards the door when both Sonya and Baselton moved together in unison, effectively blocking him from getting inside.

"Dr. Dodgson forbids you to go inside until he's finished," Baselton said. "His orders."

Wu did everything he could to maintain self-control. Baselton's pompousness always annoyed him. "What's Lew doing? And why am I the only one forbidden from going inside? He's never done that before."

"He's spending quality time with his former protégé," Baselton answered, not making any attempt to hide his glee. "Lew wanted to test something out on him."

"And Dennis was so cooperative and eager to please," Sonya said. Her bright smile didn't reach her eyes that were glowing with hatred.

Just then the door opened on the other side.

"You're a little late, Henry," Lopez said. "Sorry you missed out on the fun."

"The later the better," Tembo said. Unlike Lopez, he didn't pretend that he wanted Wu around. "That way we had no interference from you."

Wu looked from Lopez to Tembo, trying to figure out what was happening—or more so, what had happened. Neither man revealed anything. Dodgson came outside and closed the door behind him. Wu kept looking past him; he was impatient to get inside the room. Tembo's words didn't sound right: the later the better; that way we had no interference from you. Wu knew what that meant: he tried to be around whenever the group tormented Nedry. Even the one time when he said he wouldn't be there—Wu showed up anyway to ensure that they didn't do anything severely harmful to him. He had acted as a buffer all those times and it had worked. The only time he didn't show up was because he had let his anger at Nedry get the best of him. All the other times though—it suddenly hit him why King struck up that conversation with him... What better way to distract Henry Wu than to speak with him about his passion and life's work?

"All done!" Dodgson said, cheerfully. He stood in the doorway, studying Wu. "Wanna check out my masterpiece? He's sitting inside, waiting for you."

Wu tried not to show outward surprise of what Dodgson had said, or even show any sign that he knew what he was talking about. He noticed the white gauze wrapped around Dodgson's right hand. Dodgson followed his stare.

"Dennis is a cannibal now," he said, laughing and holding up his bandaged right hand, before turning deathly serious. "Tried to take a chunk out of me, but I got the best of him—I always do. Just like you, right Henry?"

Wu blinked, unsure of what he was getting at. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I finally had that chat with him. It was a brief, but effective talk. You and him though…" Dodgson nodded knowingly. "You both are like two rats eating the same block of cheese."

What the hell does he mean by that?! Does Lew know we've been talking at night? As though reading Wu's mind, Dodgson responded.

"I know you two have been bonding. Two InGen traitors who became my loyal employees after John Hammond shitted on them. Well, one of you is loyal and the other is—why don't we go check on him?" He stepped aside gestured for Wu to enter first.

Wu slowly stepped inside the room and Dodgson followed him. King, Sonya, Tembo, and Lopez waited outside.

"You guys can head up to the conference room. I'll meet you there in a few minutes after I finish with Henry. Henry, you'll be joining us too."

Wu tried to focus on what Dodgson was telling him, but the sight of Nedry sitting up with his head hanging down drew his attention. Is that blood on his face?! "What did you do?"

Dodgson followed Wu's questioning gaze. "I gave him something to remember me by."

When Wu didn't respond, he continued.

"Dennis is unbreakable. You try to kill him; he escapes with his life intact. You beat him down and he bounces right back up. You threaten him with incarceration, and he doesn't care about being locked in a cage—not anymore." He chortled at this. "There was a time where the word prison got a frenzied reaction out of him, but he's immune to that now."

Wu's eyes flickered to Nedry's clenched fists when Dodgson mentioned "beat him down and he bounces right back up". A memory he wanted to forget flashed through his mind: smashing Nedry's hand and broken fingers in the jail cell.

"But you know what he really hates?"

The malice in Dodgson's voice made Wu's spinal cord tingle. "What's that?"

"He hates being reminded that he put John Hammond in the hospital and that he alone is responsible for Robert Muldoon's injuries. Where that fucking park warden is concerned, he's always reminded of that day when he looks in the mirror—so I gave Dennis matching scars."

Wu instantly recoiled. That's sick! What the hell, Lew?! The words almost escaped his mouth, but thankfully he maintained self-control.

"You told me Dennis enjoyed taunting Robert about his scars. That was the same night he tried to expose you, Henry."

Wu nodded absently. He remembered that night very clearly. Nedry had come to Isla Nublar by himself to warn them about Dodgson's plans to take over InGen and Jurassic Park. Muldoon and Arnold had detained him in Hammond's bungalow. Nedry had antagonized Muldoon the entire night. He had words for everyone else, but Muldoon was his main target. Everyone—Gennaro, Arnold, Harding, Malcolm, and even Wu himself—had to step in multiple times to stop Muldoon from pummeling Nedry. Most of his taunts were centered on Muldoon's scars—scars he had gotten from a raptor that had escaped the pen. Escaped because the Biosyn team had followed Dodgson's orders to secure a velociraptor...

"Now every time he sees himself in the mirror, he'll be reminded of his biggest regret." Dodgson's aggressive tone abruptly changed to a nauseating sweet tone when he pointed at Nedry, who remained still in the gurney. "You thought I was fucking around when I told you I know you better than you know yourself."

Wu didn't know how to respond to anything Dodgson had just said, so he did the only thing he could do. Remain silent. He didn't want to outwardly show any reaction that Dodgson would interpret as him feeling badly for Nedry. He also didn't want to react in a manner that Nedry would've mistaken as Wu being glad for what Dodgson had done to him. He kept quiet even when Dodgson walked ahead of him to the gurney and snatched a tangled piece of duct tape off the floor.

"Sit there and think about the experiment we did today. In the meantime, I'll be meeting with the loyal members of my team. The keyword is being loyal. Something you know nothing about given how you like to fuck around with both InGen and Biosyn." He tossed the tangled duct tape on Nedry's lap. "I'm heading there now, Henry. Be there in five minutes. I'll give you some alone time with your fellow InGen rat."

Dodgson marched past Wu: his angry glare never left his face. Wu would've sworn the air temperature had dropped. He didn't dare move until he heard Dodgson close the door behind him. Only then did Wu whip around to find a chair and place it in front of the door so that nobody could return—especially Dodgson. His eyes scanned the room, searching for what he knew he would need—a clean cloth, ointment, and band-aids. One out of the three wasn't bad as he spied a cloth near the sink. He'd have to find a first-aid kit later.

Right now, Wu forced himself to approach Nedry who still appeared to be staring down. He noted the spots of blood on Nedry's clothes and the gurney. The scalpel Dodgson had used still had blood on it and lay next to the crumbled duct tape on Nedry's lap. Wu drew in his breath sharply when he saw where Dodgson had made the incisions on Nedry's face. True to his word, Nedry's open cuts that would eventually heal into scars resembled Muldoon's. They were a permanent reminder for Muldoon that he had survived a velociraptor—the dinosaur he hated the most in Jurassic Park. For Nedry, Dodgson wanted it to be a permanent reminder of his biggest regret. Wu averted his eyes when he remembered Nedry wasn't the only one who had mocked Muldoon for the scars he bore on his face.

Wu had done so as well—on more than one occasion.

The first time occurred when Muldoon and Grant were gearing up to destroy the raptors. Wu's voice haunted him now: Who are you to talk? You never told John about Biosyn the first two times they were here. You wanna talk about keeping secrets from John? Look in the mirror. Wu had meant it as a double-sided insult. His remark reminded Muldoon of how he had failed to tell Hammond the truth about Biosyn's previous invasions on the island, and it was also a cold way to point out the scars the velociraptor had left on him.

I kept secrets from John too, Wu thought as he clenched the cloth in his hand. At the time, he hadn't yet revealed his alliance with Biosyn, although he did have a rather interesting phone call with Dodgson that same evening. Wu grimaced when he remembered that conversation. Lewis Dodgson's lame attempts to win me over, but it had worked. The second time he had insulted Muldoon, ended with Muldoon punching him in the face. By then, everyone in InGen knew where Wu's loyalties lay.

Wu forced himself to remain in the present. Nedry still hadn't looked up. The blood was dripping off his face, down to his neck. Even his clothes had scattered droplets of blood. As Wu came closer, he saw more signs of Dodgson's carnage. A broken hand-held mirror lay on Nedry's legs. Glass fragments were scattered all over him. Dodgson or Lopez had taken the mirror and smashed it on Nedry's head. When he looked at Nedry's face again, that's when he saw the words that had been written with a black marker: TRAITOR across his forehead. On the left side of his face near the diagonal slash was the word RAT. On the right side of his face with the longer incision was the word SNITCH. Across his neck was his prison number written in large digits: 0807-55.

Wu heard him mumbling in between taking deep breaths as he searched for a washcloth. He could tell Nedry was trying to calm himself and had difficulty doing so.

"Get me out of here…I did the best I could. I can't do this anymore…I'll take any sentence Judge Hoskins throws at me…anything but whatever Dodgson has planned next."

He didn't know if Nedry was talking to himself or whoever could hear him on the other side. He couldn't waste time figuring it out as Dodgson wanted him at the meeting in five minutes. The first thing to do was to undo the leather strap. Wu untied it and threw it aside. Then he found a cloth and ran some water over it. Above the running water, he heard Nedry still muttering to himself about how crazy Dodgson was. Wu turned off the faucet and slowly approached the gurney. Nedry had his face turned away and didn't seem to notice Wu nearby. Wu listened to him ramble.

"I regret everything…if I knew then what I know now…I would never have accepted Dodgson's deal. I would've made my situation work. I wouldn't have stabbed John and everyone in the back…my life has never been the same… I hurt so many people along the way…I almost killed people…Henry thinks he knows what he wants…but he's chasing rainbows with Dodgson…he's never gonna get the fame he wants hanging around here…I wish he would listen—"

"I am listening," Wu said, noticing again the blood trails on Nedry's face from the open incisions. He couldn't take his eyes off the slashes on Nedry's face, even when he tried not to stare. "I've been listening for a long time now. I had to find myself, and at the same time, get over myself—just like you did."

Nedry turned in his direction and stared at him, not saying anything. He saw Wu standing over him with the cloth. Wu didn't know how to interpret his reaction and forced himself to press forward. Pressing the damp cloth on Nedry's face, he was shocked when Nedry didn't turn away. Wu held down for a little while longer and realized he'd have to stop the bleeding on the opposite cheek that had a smaller incision.

"Hold this on your face to stop the bleeding. Just apply some pressure."

"Does it look like I can hold any damn thing, Henry? Besides, you have a meeting to attend."

Nedry's voice was so low that Wu had to stand closer to hear him. As he did so, he noticed Nedry trying to lift his hands. He couldn't because of the straps. Wu sighed. This whole thing was a huge mess; and it was because of his impatience with Hammond. Nedry also wouldn't be here right now if he had stayed loyal to InGen, if he had somehow negotiated for a better contract, or even better, just left InGen altogether. Then again, Wu felt that was true of himself as well. Both men had been caught in a web of industrial espionage spun by a cruel sociopath because of what they craved—money and fame—and they had to get out before it was too late. Wu knew what needed to be done. He needed to act like the rest of the team was somewhere within earshot when he spoke next.

"Shut up, Dennis!" Wu hissed. "This is all on you—IT'S YOUR FAULT!" Nedry was about to respond when he leaned in close, while still holding the cloth on his face. "I'm gonna get you out of here, just give me a chance to plan it out."

Wu's words came out jumbled, a rushed whisper…but Nedry understood it all. Use code, he mouthed to Wu and then motioned at his sleeve. Wu nodded in understanding.

"You only have a few more days of freedom," he announced loudly. "I'm calling the cops so they can drag you out and throw you in a cramped cell. You won't know what time they're coming, but I do."

"They can come anytime?" Nedry asked, smirking.

"Hell yes, they can come anytime! Me and Lew Dodgson—we'll be far away from here."

Nedry's smirk faded. "You don't have to do that, Henry. Just let it be. The bleeding will stop on its own."

"What're you talking about?" Wu pressed the cloth on the other side of his face. This incision wasn't as long and deep as the other.

"The incisions; they'll leave scars behind. I deserve it, after all the times I mocked Robert's scars."

"Don't be ridiculous. They'll get infected." As he pressed down on the cloth, he remembered how Nedry had gotten very little sleep, so it was obvious how Dodgson threw him off guard. Dodgson's about to be caught off guard himself…Wu thought, his mind racing with ideas.

"Since when do you care?"

"I don't care, just like you don't care." Wu tried to hold back a laugh.

"Yeah, sure. We're back on that 'caring' nonsense again. Spare me."

"I will spare you this one time. I'm gonna head to their meeting right now, so that I can find out all the juicy details of his next plan."

"Sounds good."

An awkward silence passed before Nedry spoke again.

"They came when I wasn't expecting it…I knew they would."

Wu thought for a moment about what he was about to say. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to stop them."

"Lew's a loon. He's a psycho…he thinks I have another laptop with InGen secrets on it."

Wu abruptly dropped the cloth on the gurney's rail. "He said that?!"

"Yeah, he—" Nedry stopped when he saw a strange expression flash across Wu's face.

Wu's eyebrows furrowed together, and he looked away quickly, like he was about to say something but couldn't find the right words. It was a mix of terror, guilt, and confusion like he had released a top secret that he had no permission revealing.

"Did you tell him?"

"Tell him what?" Wu asked as he picked up the bloodstained cloth. "Hold on, let me wash this." As he watched the blood swirl down the drain with the water, he sensed he was avoiding Nedry's question. He tried to remain calm when he returned and placed the cloth on Nedry's face with the longer incisions, applying gentle pressure.

"Did you tell him I had another laptop? A second one with InGen's research?" Nedry sounded like he didn't want to know the answer but had forced himself to ask the question.

Wu remembered when Dodgson first brought up the idea that Nedry might have a second secret laptop. Or rather, Lopez had mentioned it and Dodgson had jumped on the idea. Back then, Wu had agreed it might be a possibility…but he never imagined Dodgson would go to extreme measures to find out if it was true or not. He wanted to say Lopez had planted the seed, as he knew Nedry wouldn't be surprised given their shared hatred. At this point, it didn't matter who put the idea in Dodgson's head.

Wu exhaled, trying to calm his frayed nerves. He wanted to return to InGen now more than ever. Working for Hammond had been intense, but for much different and understandable reasons. They were venturing into the unknown when manipulating genetic sequences to recreate dinosaurs and the animals' behavior was unpredictable. But they were doing something amazing—astonishing, even. Hammond was a dreamer, and Dodgson was the very definition of sociopathic…

Nedry noticed Wu's silence and accepted it. "It's not your fault. It's how Dodgson operates; he gets an insane idea and runs with it."

Wu released the bloodstained cloth. The bleeding on Nedry's face had stopped. He sighed in relief and decided he would find some ointment after the meeting. Nedry mouthed thank you. Wu nodded. He didn't think he deserved gratitude, but he accepted it. He glanced at the door, not looking forward to the meeting, but knowing he had to be there to gather information that could be used against Dodgson. After that, he'd have to return to let Nedry know, so that they could discuss it and have it recorded. He would have to be discreet about his timing though, now that Dodgson had an inkling that they were talking. Dodgson had no clue of what they spoke about, but Wu knew he had to play it safe—for his and Nedry's sake.

"Bring me back snacks. You know how much I love my Butterfingers."

Wu knew what he meant. Talking in code. He responded likewise. "Mind your damn business and close your eyes already."

A wry smile flashed across his face as he left the room and closed the door behind him. As he made his way to the conference room, he hoped Nedry would get much-needed rest.

oOo

Wu entered the dimly lit conference room on the first floor. It was at the end of the hallway and the windows were tinted so that nobody could see into the room. Glancing at the table, he saw Lopez, Sonya, and Tembo sitting together at one end. Baselton and King were on the opposite end, while Dodgson sat in the middle. Wu found an empty seat next to Lopez just as Dodgson started. Wu noticed Dodgson looked in his direction and continued as though there had been no interruptions.

"I've got a brilliant fucking plan, bigger and better than ever."

Everyone waited. Curious looks were exchanged, but no one spoke. Every person sitting in that conference room had heard Dodgson speak like this before. It certainly wasn't the first time he was heard cooking up a crazy scheme, and it wouldn't be the last time.

"I have an idea of how to acquire Jurassic Park for good and this time it'll work—but I'm gonna need leverage."

"What type of leverage are we talking about?" Tembo asked.

"Hammond's grandchildren."

Wu sat back in his seat and made sure to maintain a blank façade. I've got quite the snack for you, Dennis. There was an eerie silence in the room as everyone slowly came to the realization of what Dodgson was implying.

"You want to kidnap…his grandchildren?!" King's tone was hitched. He couldn't hide his disbelief, even if he tried.

Wu blinked, shocked that King had said anything. He usually said nothing in these meetings and just went along with whatever whacky ideas Dodgson proposed. Wu glanced at Sonya, Tembo, and Lopez trying to gauge their reactions. Sonya had let out a sharp giggle and Tembo threw a sharp look her way. Then he looked up at Dodgson, questioning and uncertain. Wu could tell Tembo didn't like the idea; but he wouldn't say it aloud.

Lopez beamed and nodded in approval. That was no surprise to Wu. He had observed Lopez over time and how much he sucked up to Dodgson. Sometimes he was surprised that he and Lopez got along so well, given Lopez's history of hating anyone whom he felt got in his way of being Dodgson's favorite. He had been like that with Nedry, but with Wu, Wu knew Lopez had no problem with him because he had been the chief geneticist of Jurassic Park. Lopez worshipped the ground that Wu walked on.

Wu forced himself to focus on what Dodgson had revealed, and not on how his co-workers were reacting or not reacting. Right then, Lopez interrupted his thoughts.

"This is your idea?"

"It was all Dennis," Dodgson said, as he strolled around the conference room. "He had told me, 'you know, if you really wanted to scare him or give him a heart attack, all you'd have to do is kidnap his grandkids, Tim and Lex'. So that's exactly what we'll do and it's all thanks to our brilliant scumbag."

That's what he meant when he said Lew gets an insane idea and runs with it, Wu thought, realizing that it didn't take a lot for Dodgson to come up with crazy schemes. Either he dreamt them up himself, or someone would make a random comment, he'd snatch the idea, and completely distort and exploit it. Wu also remembered telling the team that Hammond's grandchildren were important to him, that he had legal guardianship over them…

He would do anything to relive that moment and take back his words.

Wu watched as Dodgson continued to circle the room in a relaxed manner, completely unlike his angry marching around. A sour aftertaste invaded his mouth as he allowed Dodgson's plan to sink in. Kidnapping a minor carried a lengthy prison sentence—Wu was sure of wasn't the worst part of it though. It was the idea of traumatizing Hammond's grandchildren that really pushed Wu over the edge. He had wanted fame, but how far was he willing to go for it—would he endanger the well-being and lives of his former employer's grandchildren? The fact that Dodgson sounded so blasé about kidnapping Tim and Lex Murphy sickened him.

Wu had a weakness for children. He didn't have any of his own, but he remembered that Donald Gennaro was a father. Gennaro would be outraged if he knew of Dodgson's plot. Wu thought King sounded disgusted too, and if memory served him right, King was a father to a young boy. He thought back to the first time he had met Hammond's grandchildren, and how he gave them their own personal tour of the genetics labs. He loved their enthusiasm and excitement to see how the dinosaurs had been engineered for Jurassic Park. Tim and Lex were amazed—especially Tim, who had tons of questions. Now they were teenagers and on their way to maturing into young adults, who were both responsible and helped around the island. Those were pleasant memories.

A heavy pit in his stomach expanded when he remembered how Tim and Lex avoided him after he was open about aligning with Biosyn. Then his chest tightened, and he had to make sure he didn't show clenched fists or speak in a hostile tone. He had to contain his anger while in the conference room—a rising fury that Dodgson would even consider harming Hammond's grandchildren. Wu felt his face heat up and he had to make sure that nothing in his body language indicated what he felt about Dodgson's twisted plans.

If Dodgson wasn't serious, or if anyone didn't know him, they might find the idea outlandish and at worst, laughable. By now, Wu knew—and everyone knew—that what Dodgson proposed was neither outlandish nor laughable. They had worked with Dodgson long enough to know that nothing stopped him from reaching his goals and that he had harmed many people along the way. This is nothing but cold-blooded revenge for how InGen humiliated him, Wu realized. There was a time when Dodgson wanted embryos, then considered dinosaur eggs. From there, he graduated to obtaining actual dinosaur specimens. Finally, he conquered InGen from within and took over the entire park and island. That backfired on him spectacularly thanks to Dennis, Wu thought, closing his eyes as he listened to the conversation.

"We need to get him where it hurts, where we know he'll cave," Dodgson was saying.

"Would we pretend to abduct them, or would we really do it?"

"Of course, we would really fucking do it, Howard. That's the only way to make this work. It wouldn't mean shit if I was pretending. We'd bring those brats right here or another secret location."

"And you'd request for Jurassic Park and Isla Nublar to be handed over? Or just the entire company?" Baselton was trying to discern how far Dodgson wanted to go with this plan.

That sounds like Baselton talking, Wu thought. You can tell he's questioning Lew's sanity but won't outright say it. No one will; we all know better.

Dodgson chuckled. "I wouldn't be requesting Jurassic Park. I'd be demanding it. Fuck that 'requesting' shit. Are you kidding me? Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park will be the ransom in exchange for his grandbrats!"

Wu opened his eyes just as Dodgson resumed his seat. He thought Lopez, Tembo, and Sonya were against the kidnapping plot. That idea was quickly disproven when Lopez spoke next.

"This is a great way to manipulate him into giving up what's rightfully ours."

It was never yours to begin with, Wu seethed inwardly. He knew not to voice his sentiments.

"I'm gonna do way more than make Jurassic Park be the ransom that he'll hand over—if he knows what's good for him."

"What else is there?" Sonya asked, wanting to know more.

"I'm gonna expose John Hammond for all his dirty little secrets, all the awful things that happened during the construction of Jurassic Park—things he doesn't want out in the public eye." Dodgson sounded gleeful now. "I'll threaten to go to every news media outlet if he doesn't hand over the damn park."

"Such as?" Tembo was skeptical.

"Several workers' deaths. Families' lawsuits." Dodgson grinned. "Trust me, InGen has a lot of dirt that they don't want the public to know. Otherwise, who would ever visit Jurassic Park?"

Wu rested his chin on his hand in deep thought. As if Biosyn is squeaky clean. He snorted and missed Lopez's quizzical glance.

"So, we kidnap them, hold them prisoner wherever and…" King's voice trailed off.

"And he gets Timmy and Lexy back once he decides to hand over all rights to Biosyn. Bill and Jeff will be pleased."

Wu's eyebrows rose and he glanced at everyone. What Dodgson had just said went over their heads, but it was obvious to him. He wants to be in Bill Steingarten's and Jeff Rossiter's good graces again.

"Let's face the fucking facts," Dodgson said, slamming a clenched fist on the table. "Jurassic Park means everything to that old bastard and so do his grandchildren. It's a win-win situation for us, and a lose-lose for them."

Wu had to agree with Dodgson: Hammond was close to his grandchildren, but he also knew Jurassic Park was extremely important to him. It suddenly hit Wu how it wasn't about acquiring InGen. Nor was it about having Biosyn pretend that they—and not InGen—had created genetically engineered dinosaurs. It was all about destroying John Hammond. The horrendous situation would break him if he had to choose between Jurassic Park and his two grandchildren. He would forfeit everything InGen owned if it would guarantee Tim's and Lex's safety, Wu thought.

Right then, he had an epiphany. It now dawned on Wu that when Dodgson had acquired him, this was another way to destroy Hammond. He was never going to help Wu reach his goals. It was all self-serving. If he had "The Miracle Worker of Jurassic Park" on Biosyn's side, they could compete with InGen to clone new dinosaurs—but also ruin John Hammond. Wu's heart raced when the realization became clearer to him: I've been a pawn all along. He glanced at his watch. It was after five in the evening when he had left Nedry and now it was almost six o'clock. He had made up his mind—

"Henry, you'll be involved in this," Dodgson said.

The entire conference room was silent as everyone stared at Wu. Based on how Dodgson spoke, everyone knew he left no room for Wu to choose. His wish was Wu's command. There was no option for "I'll think about it" or "let me get back to you." Wu simply gave a curt nod as acknowledgement. It was better to do that than to voice his consent aloud or openly disagree. The former would only energize Dodgson to go forward with his aberrant plans, while the latter would paint Wu as a target to be eliminated.

Dodgson flashed a triumphant grin. "Meet back in an hour so we can begin brainstorming." He pointed at Wu. "I need you to stay for a few minutes extra. The rest of you can leave and return in an hour on the dot."

Sonya was the first to leave the conference room. Wu watched her leave and then overheard a brief conversation between Tembo and Lopez. It sounded like they were deciding what to eat for dinner. It was strange to hear such an ordinary conversation considering what Dodgson was proposing. Wu watched them and then saw Dodgson beckoning him over. King and Baselton flanked Dodgson on both sides.

"You're gonna be the main one to pull this scheme off. We'll work out the details but be prepared."

Wu nodded. "Am I free to go now?"

"Be my guest," Dodgson said, pointing at the door.

oOo

It was shortly after six in the evening in the police precinct. Hammond, Muldoon, Malcolm, and Anderson were crowded around the listening station. They sat in stunned silence as they listened to Nedry and Wu talk in real time…

"Not surprised he'd do something this crazy like go after Hammond's grandchildren and use them as leverage."

"That's the exact word he used—leverage—and he wants me to do it."

Hammond and Muldoon exchanged a knowing glance. Muldoon knew this was confirmation for Hammond that Dodgson intended to sabotage Jurassic Park—and more so, that he intended to cause severe harm. This time, his grandchildren were the targets.

"Because he can't manipulate anyone else from InGen. Not Dr. Malcolm, not Dr. Sattler, not Dr. Grant, definitely not Ray or Gerry—and Robert?" Nedry laughed. "A giant lizard like a T-Rex would fly with wings before Robert Muldoon is ever manipulated by Lewis Dodgson. He has no one left from InGen that he can taint—not even me. That's why he's using you, Henry."

"I know."

"Precisely," Malcolm said. "Dennis described Dodgson's M.O. accurately. It's great that Henry has been enlightened and sees the writing on the wall too."

"Funny thing is if you go along with his crazy plan, you will be famous for sure—more like infamous. And you won't get the Noble Prize in Genetics. You'll get handed down a hefty prison sentence. You will know the joy of everyone knowing you and hating you."

"I didn't think he'd ever go this far." Wu sounded horrified.

"That's being willfully ignorant given all the severe harm he's caused others directly or through others."

"Give examples of what you mean."

"Directly: harassing Ellie. The rabies experiment on Chilean farmers. Bullying the InGen staff. Indirectly: I turned off the raptor fences for the team. John ends up with a stroke and Robert almost gets killed."

"You're right…I've seen him cause harm to others."

"When?"

"He targeted Tim and Dr. Sattler when Dr. Malcolm and Lex went to the mainland. That's when you and Dr. Grant came back. The InGen staff had to protect him. They called it 'strength' or 'safety in numbers'."

Anderson turned up the volume and flipped to a new page in his pocket notebook. He had been taking notes the entire time and continued to do so based on what was being revealed. This was the concrete evidence he needed to proceed forward.

"Did you stop him then?"

"No, I watched from afar."

Hammond looked serious as he listened to Wu's and Nedry's exchange. When he spoke, there was a bend in his voice, as though he felt hurt by Wu's decision to stand by while Dodgson intimidated Tim.

"Why didn't he stop Dodgson? He knows how I feel about my grandchildren." Hammond shook his head. "Sometimes listening to him, it's like I never knew him."

"I don't believe it was to hurt you, John," Malcolm started. He saw Hammond's face twist in anger and raised a hand in protest. "Let me explain—much of Henry's behavior was to impress Dodgson and prove his loyalty to Biosyn. He was never fully on board, he just would never admit that to anyone, not even himself."

Muldoon nodded. "Dr. Malcolm's right. Unlike Dennis, who was bloody glad to strike back at InGen, Henry, although he was terrible, you could see he was half-hearted. His actions still cut like a knife though."

"It's why we agreed that Dennis would be the best one to get through to him. He had gone down that path long before Henry did and turned himself around. His weakness was that he didn't intend to hurt you or Robert." Malcolm gestured at Muldoon. "His weakness is his strength in that he knew he had gone too far when you were both injured. Henry's weakness is that he doesn't want Dodgson to harm Lex and Tim. That's a strength of course, but to someone as deranged as Dodgson, that's being weak. He may want fame, but he doesn't want to risk the safety of your grandchildren. He knows that would destroy you."

Hammond couldn't say anything to that. Malcolm always spoke the truth directly. He never sugar-coated. It used to infuriate Hammond, but now he was appreciative of Malcolm's bluntness. He listened to the remaining conversation.

"He said the kidnapping was your idea. That you suggested it when you came back from that assignment to get the raptors."

"When I said that to him after Hammond's accident, I was being sarcastic. No way in hell would I be okay with pulling that crap—and you shouldn't be either!"

There was a long pause. It seemed as if time stood still, while everyone in the room waited to hear Wu's reaction. Hammond stared hard at the recording machine, hoping that the Henry Wu he had hired—the kind, intelligent, and well-read man would come through. That he would finally shed the cold and heartless persona he had masqueraded in for Dodgson's approval. When Wu spoke again, they could hear the seriousness in his voice.

"I'm not—I have my limits."

You see? Malcolm mouthed to Hammond.

Hammond nodded. He wasn't sure what to feel, but he thought it was good that Wu showed he hadn't completely lost himself. He wasn't too far gone. He was also grateful that it was Nedry, of all people, who was bringing Wu around.

"And Dodgson doesn't have any limits. He has no idea what the word means. Glad you finally see the truth."

The longest pause lasted a full minute and when Wu spoke again, he sounded firm.

"Me too."

"What's interesting about their conversation is we know how this will go down," Malcolm said.

"What do you mean?" Muldoon asked.

"Dennis convinced Henry, but it'll be Henry that gets them out of there."

Muldoon nodded. "That looks like the direction they're going in."

Anderson stood up, holding up his pocket notebook. "It's time to act. We know their location. All I need to do is get six arrest warrants, one search warrant, and then me and the guys will pay them a visit."

"It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend." - William Blake

oOo

"It's been said that revenge is a dish best served cold. It's gonna be fucking freezing and that dish will crack and shatter! Just like that old bastard, John Hammond, will crack and lose his shit when he finds out I have his grandbrats in my grasp."

It was the following day in the late morning and Lewis Dodgson stood at the head of the table in the conference room. He had ordered everyone to be present so that they, or rather, he could begin outlining his monstrous plot. Henry Wu sat by himself at the end of the table, while Raúl Lopez, Sonya Durant, and Roland Tembo sat at the opposite end, hanging onto Dodgson's every word. George Baselton and Howard King were sitting near them, taking down notes. The fact that Wu sat alone wasn't lost on him. He had a feeling Dennis Nedry had the same lonesome experience when he decided not to go along with Dodgson's plans to take over Isla Nublar. Instead of openly disagreeing with Dodgson, Wu knew to keep silent and gather as much information as he could. The more, the better.

"We're gonna have Henry pull a Dennis—" Dodgson started.

"What the hell does that mean?" Lopez asked with ire in his voice. ""Pull a Dennis' ? Last time Dennis pulled anything, he was backstabbing us by blabbing to InGen about your plans."

Dodgson stared at him. "Are you gonna let me finish?"

"I just wanted to know what you meant." Lopez slid back in his chair as though expecting Dodgson to pounce on him.

"What happened the last time Dennis betrayed us?"

"We taught him a lesson that he still remembers," Sonya volunteered, grinning wickedly.

"No, Sonya. We got kicked off the island because Dennis was helping out InGen all along," Lopez snapped. "Obviously, we haven't learned our lesson the first time."

Wu glanced across the table at Lopez, who now glared at him. At first, he was thrown off by Lopez's hateful reaction, but then he reminded himself that he had stopped Tembo several times: from shooting Nedry and finding a hidden wire. Those actions would cause Lopez to turn against him, since it involved defending Nedry. And now Dodgson appeared to give Wu preferential treatment if he expected him to carry out the bulk of this crazy plan. Another trigger for Lopez's professional jealousy. At this point, Wu couldn't care less. He was about to respond when Dodgson slammed a clenched fist on the table, causing Sonya and Lopez to jolt in their seats. Tembo was immovable with his arms crossed his chest. Dodgson's temper rarely bothered him. Baselton and King stopped what they were writing and looked up at Dodgson questioningly.

"Let me finish and then you can ask all the questions you want. Got it?"

Lopez's eyes dropped to the table. "Yes, Dr. Dodgson."

"If you'd stop running your fucking mouth, then you'd find out what I'm thinking. Are you ready to listen and learn?"

Wu watched as Lopez silently agreed by giving a stiff nod.

"When I say 'pull a Dennis', consider what that idiot hacker did last time. He went to Isla Nublar to throw us under the bus and reveal to the stupid InGen staff what we had planned. I'm proposing that we have Henry return to the island, pretend to turn over a new leaf—as in pretend to align himself with InGen again. Are you all following?" Dodgson's eyes quickly flicked from Lopez to Sonya and Tembo, and then to Baselton and King. They were all listening attentively. From there, he locked eyes with Wu again. "From there, he'd lure Tim and Lex—he'd kidnap those brats."

Wu bit down on his tongue as he tried not to let the revulsion he felt internally show on his face. He didn't see how this insane plan would work.

"The team would be with you, Henry," Dodgson said calmly as though reading his mind. "They will help you carry out this assignment."

That only further angered Wu. "Carry out an assignment"—as though the crime of kidnapping minors was an "assignment". Wu maintained a quiet presence with a blank stare.

"The only difference is that Mr. Hacker really became Mr. Goody-Fucking-Two-Shoes, and no one believed him, so they all rejected him. At the time, it worked in our favor that nobody from InGen trusted a word spilling from his big mouth. Whereas with Henry, they will welcome him with open arms and never see it coming—they'll be blindsided."

And they would hate me forever—I would traumatize Hammond's grandchildren who have done nothing to deserve being used as pawns in Dodgson's game to seize Jurassic Park, Wu thought as he drummed his fingers on the table. He noticed Tembo and Lopez watching him carefully, assessing his reaction to Dodgson's proposal. For Wu, it was strange how they seemed so far away, although they were all sitting at the same table in the same room. He was mentally light years apart from all of them. The person he was mentally closest to was locked in the basement. On that note, Wu reminded himself that he needed to formulate a plan—and fast. That could wait though…right now, he blurted out something completely off topic.

"I thought you wanted to begin a new genetic engineering project, interbreed dinosaurs…?" Wu let his question hang in the air.

"We can start on that project once we have the grandbrats under our control—we need to hold them over Hammond's head to ensure he hands over his company, his park, and his island, and then we can have access to the breeding facilities." Dodgson's lips curled into a creepy grin. "Then you will finally have the fame you've been waiting for Henry—you'll be able to taste it!"

He can't even use their names. Tim and Lex. Is it really that hard? Wu knew better than to ask that question aloud. Everything Dodgson said about fame he had been waiting for, and fame that he could taste…fell on deaf ears.

"And what happens when you seize InGen, Jurassic Park, and Isla Nublar?" He was playing with fire with that question, and he didn't want to get burned—but he needed to know. "What will you do with Tim and Lex then?"

Dodgson took off his glasses and placed them on the conference table. Wu refused to be intimidated as he had been in the past. He waited to see if Dodgson would answer his question and it seemed like everyone was waiting too. He noticed Tembo looked from him to Dodgson back to him again.

"I'll leave that to your imagination." Dodgson turned to the rest of the group. "Start brainstorming how you want to do this assignment. If you guys need reinforcements, I'll call on Cruz and Morales to be involved in this. Chadwick too, if necessary."

Sonya stared at him, shocked.

Dodgson grinned as he put back on his glasses that made him appear nonthreatening.

"You already know I have people all over the world on my payroll. Nima Cruz and Oscar Morales have always stayed close by, same with Miles Chadwick. They were there the night you ambushed our favorite hacker at Carlos and Charlie's."

The group was stunned by what he revealed and looked at each other, as though questioning if someone else had known all along. Then he dropped his biggest bombshell.

"I still have Eli Mills under my payroll. He's got an interesting assignment, working under an alias."

"Where's Eli? And how did you get him on board this time?" Baselton asked. He was speaking for everyone in the conference room since they all knew Mills didn't like the usual spying assignments Dodgson gave him. They barely saw him around.

"Hanging out in a specific correctional facility, so that if a specific person gets sent back there, Mills will keep an eye on him."

Sonya's smile widened when she realized what Dodgson was implying. "As an inmate or correction officer? This I gotta know!"

"That's for me to know and him to find out if he ever returns there. I know and I'm not telling you."

"You're no fun, Lew." Sonya pretended to pout.

"I'll give you some time and then you can take turns guarding our favorite prisoner. That's your 'fun' for today, you get to be his personal prison guard."

At the mention of "favorite prisoner", Wu looked up sharply. What else did Dodgson plan to do to Nedry while holding him captive? Aside from that, he had never met or heard of Eli Mills, so he overlooked that person's significance. He also wondered how Dodgson managed to keep in touch with Chadwick, Morales, and Cruz—how did he communicate with them? What did they look like? He didn't recall meeting them…

"What about Dennis?"

"What about him?"

"What are we gonna do about him?"

Dodgson tilted his head as he thought about it. Then he flashed the same charming smile that spooked Wu now.

"I'd like to keep him around. I've been thinking of doing some experiments on him, since he's a willing test subject. I'd love to play around with dino and human DNA. Maybe even try out other viruses and vaccines. Once I finish, I'll dispose of him. Whether he stays here as my lab rat or gets tossed in a cramped prison cell, he has a bright future ahead of him."

The room was deathly silent as Dodgson held Wu's gaze. It was as though he was waiting—almost expecting—for Wu to challenge him. Wu didn't and Dodgson left the conference room without explanation, leaving everyone baffled by his silent exit. After waiting a few moments to ensure he wasn't returning, Wu stood up to make his own exit. He was at the door when he heard Lopez call his name.

"You're not gonna participate in planning this out?" Lopez asked.

"You don't need me here for this. After all, my role has already been laid out for me by Dr. Dodgson. I'm gonna 'pull a Dennis', except do the opposite."

Before they could convince him to stay, Wu left the conference room and headed straight for his office on the fourth floor, while trying not to appear like he was rushing to get out of there. He hurried inside his office and closed the door. Now he had time to come up with a plan for his and Nedry's escape. It wouldn't be easy, but it had to be done sooner than later, especially given the plans Dodgson had just revealed to the team. The whole idea of "pulling a Dennis" was beyond farfetched: returning to InGen, pretending to rejoin them, only to devastate Hammond by kidnapping Tim and Lex was out of the question. And how in the hell would he get away with snatching them away? They were teenagers now, and not the little kids he had first met when they came to the island for the initial park inspection.

As if the abduction plan wasn't abhorrent enough, Dodgson planned on conducting experiments on Nedry. Wu wanted to believe he was just saying that as a joke, but he knew to take Dodgson at his word. He remembered when Dodgson told him about the experiment where Chilean peasant farmers had been exposed to an airborne version of the rabies virus. How he had sounded excited and not the least bit concerned or regretful that he had killed ten unsuspecting people. If Dodgson could do that and not bat an eyelash, then what could he do to Nedry? Wu thought Dodgson had done more than enough, but he would always make Nedry pay for his betrayal. Nothing would ever satisfy his revenge. Right then it hit Wu: Dodgson planned to experiment on Nedry until he stopped breathing.

Now that he was more than aware of Dodgson's deadly side, Wu questioned himself as to how he had allowed himself to get tangled up in Dodgson's web of industrial espionage and corruption. His promises of fame were so convincing. Back then, Wu felt that Dodgson truly heard him, and respected him for his accomplishments. Those conversations reverberated in his mind now: I promise you'll get the fame you deserve. You'll be recognized in scientific journals, be a celebrated guest on talk shows, have radio interviews, and get featured on international news. You'll be known all over the world. From Hong Kong to Egypt to Denmark to Peru—everyone will know who Henry Wu is. Your name will become a household name. Wu hung his head in shame now as he realized how easily he had been duped into believing that Dodgson respected him. Dodgson had played on his desire for recognition. He felt foolish and embarrassed, but he couldn't dwell on emotions and exploitation—he had to come up with a solid plan. Wu paced back and forth as he thought over everything.

Dodgson said he'd have the team assist him, and even send reinforcements: Nima Cruz, Oscar Morales, and Miles Chadwick. Eli Mills, too. Four Biosyn employees Wu had never met. Dodgson had a lot of people working for him—more than Wu imagined. He shook his head. This idea is so ridiculous. I could pretend to go along with it, but what then? He brainstormed some more.

Should I drug their drinks, so that they fall asleep? Pretend to go along with the crazy plans, slip the drugs, and then get Dennis out of here? Wu pictured the scenario in his head. Tembo wouldn't fall for it and the others wouldn't either. Even if Tembo did and the others followed suit—they were all knocked out and he freed Nedry…what if they woke up and caught up to them before they escaped the building? Then there was what Dodgson planned to do to Nedry—experiment on him because he was a "willing test subject". Wu didn't want to imagine what type of experiments Dodgson had in mind.

Another idea occurred to Wu as he walked in circles.

He could pretend to turn Nedry over to the police. Dodgson and the group wouldn't object to it. After all, it meant the hacker they hated most would be gone for good. Besides Dodgson already had his "talk" with Nedry. If he turned him in, then he could escape from Dodgson. Wu glanced at the clock on the wall. He was running out of time. One thing was certain: whatever decision he made, he had to act tonight.

oOo

Robert Muldoon sat in the courtroom and watched Detective Corey Anderson speak with Judge Hoskins. From where he sat in the gallery, Muldoon could tell Anderson was frustrated. He kept shaking his head as though he severely disagreed with Judge Hoskins, who appeared neutral. Muldoon had a feeling Anderson wasn't hearing what he was hoping to hear, and that was disappointing. He had wanted to bring back good news to John Hammond and Ian Malcolm. They had stayed at the hotel as he decided to accompany Anderson to the courthouse.

It was mid-afternoon and the day seemed to stretch on…

By now, Anderson believed he had sufficient evidence to obtain arrest warrants for Lewis Dodgson, Howard King, George Baselton, Roland Tembo, Sonya Durant, and Raúl Lopez—much of it based on Wu's and Nedry's conversations and all the other recordings he had obtained. He had explained this to Muldoon during the drive over. He had just signed an affidavit and needed to obtain the arrest warrants so he could proceed forward. He also needed a search warrant to get into Dodgson's new safehold in Los Altos. Anderson was confident he would obtain everything he needed by the end of the day—which is why the hold-up was frustrating. He now approached Muldoon who sat in the gallery.

"We have to come back in a few hours. There's been a hold up in the courts today."

"A hold up? We can't bloody wait another day—that puts them at risk!" Muldoon said, standing up and following Anderson outside of the courtroom.

Anderson nodded, understanding Muldoon's frustration. "I get it, but we'll come back in a few hours. In the meantime, I need to get my squad together. This is a big bust since we're serving six arrest warrants."

They made their way outside of the courthouse and got into Anderson's car.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you, Robert," Anderson said, turning on the car and pulling out of the spot. Before long, they were driving down the streets to the police precinct. "The day when we heard Dodgson doing something to Dennis, you had a strong reaction. Dr. Malcolm explained you guys have a history. Can you tell me about it?"

"Sure."

Muldoon was quiet for a moment. Anderson thought he wasn't going to say anything, but then he spoke.

"I'll try to be as brief as possible. Some of this you've already read in his written statement. You can take what I'm sharing as confirmation."

"Got it."

Muldoon watched pedestrians walking up and down the street while Anderson drove. "My coworker, Ray, and I caught him in the act of stealing and we testified against him in that same courthouse. During his entire trial, he was guilty as hell, but that didn't stop him from glaring at both of us while we testified. He blamed us for a long time, saying we ruined his life."

Anderson nodded as he drove. Now it clicked for him. No wonder Muldoon appeared tense in the courthouse when they went to Nedry's arraignment.

"When he trespassed on Hammond's property at Dodgson's orders with his group, he always went after me."

"Did that bother you?"

"No—I always said if he wanted a bloody fight, then a bloody fight is what I'd give him."

"A bloody nose?" Anderson joked and noticed that Muldoon's stoicism never wavered.

"Way more than that the third time. That was when we got into a vicious fight. After that, I swore I would be ready for him if he ever came back—which he did, and I made good on my promise. I shot him, captured him, and interrogated him along with Ray. That night he came damn close to pushing me over the edge."

Anderson made a right turn and kept his eyes on the traffic, while being sure to stay attuned to what Muldoon shared with him. "What did he do?"

"It's not even what he did, it's what he said. Dennis has a way of getting under your skin. He's obnoxious and arrogant—and he knows it."

Anderson frowned, unsure about Muldoon's assessment. Then he remembered when they were preparing Nedry to make the call to Dodgson and how he became angry and difficult all at once.

"I saw that side of him before he called Dodgson. The way he mouthed off at me, you, John, and Dr. Malcolm."

"That was a smidge of it, and it's not a 'side' of his—it's who he is. In time, I came to learn there's more to him beyond that sarcastic exterior. Anyway, the night he returned is when he started saying that Henry had betrayed our company to Biosyn. None of us believed him—least of all me."

"That's understandable, given everything he's done."

"Exactly."

Anderson pulled into the parking lot of the police precinct. Muldoon pointed at the scars on his face.

"You see these? I'm sure you've noticed them by now."

"I've been meaning to ask how you got those scars."

"Dennis mentioned it in his statement. The same day we got into that fight—he had released one of the animals and I got mauled. That's what led to us fighting. It was the same day as John's stroke. That day was hell."

Anderson nodded in agreement. He didn't know what to say or how to respond. Muldoon took his silence to continue sharing.

"Later, he snuck back to the island by himself. The night I captured him, he claimed he was there to help InGen and then had his usual childish jokes about my scars."

Anderson let out a low whistle as he turned off the car. "That's horrendous."

"That's Dennis," Muldoon corrected him. "He knows how to push your buttons. If Ray and everyone else hadn't held me back, we wouldn't be having this conversation now. I would've shot him in the face."

Anderson sighed as he processed everything. It was a lot and he realized now that it was difficult for Muldoon to be brief about his history with Nedry. It was a lot more in-depth than he first thought. The question in is mind lingered: how in the world did Robert Muldoon and Dennis Nedry go from hating each other to respecting each other? He asked him this.

"That same night, Dodgson's gang abducted us and left us stranded on a nearby island. We were forced to cooperate to survive. Don't think for one bloody second that we became best friends because we didn't. I've lost count of how many times we argued and insulted each other—and I almost choked him out."

"When did it change, or what changed it?"

"He saved my life. I had fallen off a cliff, hit my head on a rock, and ended up in a river. Dennis got me out of there—he could've left me there to drown."

"And he didn't…" Anderson's eyes widened in understanding. It all made sense as to what led to the change in their dynamics. "It changed how you saw him."

Muldoon stared out the windshield of police officers walking in and out of the precinct.

"It did, and I realize now that I saw him in black and white terms, but the truth is, he saw me the same way. I was the 'self-righteous prick' who ruined his life—his words, not mine," he added. "Ray and I had a ton of insults for him. Fat slob, greedy traitor, bold liar, petty thief…but that all stopped after he got me out of that river."

"Sounds like mutual hatred gave way to mutual respect."

"That's right. From that point forward, we started to see each other as human beings. He shared everything he knew about Dodgson, what it was like to work for him, how Dodgson operates. When it came to Henry Wu though, I was bloody stubborn, and didn't want to hear a word of it from him. When we returned to the island, I found out that same night he had been telling the truth the whole time about Henry joining Dodgson…" Muldoon's voice trailed off.

"That's a lot to take in."

"There's a lot I'm leaving out, but that's the gist of it. We got off that island because of what started out as forced cooperation. Later, when Dr. Malcolm got him out of jail, he helped us get rid of Biosyn. That's another story for another day, but I'll just say he fooled us all into believing that he sided with Dodgson again."

Anderson noticed that Muldoon stopped and searched for something in his pocket that he couldn't find. Then he continued speaking, his tone solemn.

"Dodgson was fooled too—and furious when the truth came out. Dennis did that for InGen, and it wasn't a small matter. Dodgson had his group brutally beat him, and he still put his neck on the line for InGen. It's no exaggeration that myself and everyone are still grateful for what he's done—and this is after all the bloody nonsense he pulled, including landing John in the hospital."

Anderson opened the car door on his side and Muldoon imitated his actions. They walked into the building and headed for Anderson's office.

"That's why sending him there was so risky," Anderson said, unlocking the door to his office.

Muldoon gave a curt nod. "It was extremely risky for Dennis to go on his own to get Henry out of that mess. It's why he kept saying he didn't think he'd make it out alive."

Anderson opened his drawer and grabbed some files together as he listened to Muldoon.

"Lewis Dodgson's a bloody sociopath. Dr. Malcolm and I once talked about how Dodgson is both charismatic and ruthless. He has no limits, no boundaries. Dennis has limits to an extent. He stole from Hammond, but he didn't let me drown. These scars…" Muldoon pointed at his face. "He never intended it to happen. It doesn't excuse what happened, but it helped me to let go of the anger I had towards him for a long time."

Anderson came around his desk. "I appreciate you sharing, Robert. It paints a fuller picture of everything and helps me to understand where you're coming from. I'm assembling a group today to get to that compound in Los Altos as soon as possible."

"Are you serving the warrants today?" Muldoon tried not to get his hopes up, but he knew that every moment that passed was another moment of Nedry and Wu remaining under Dodgson's stranglehold.

"I'll go back to the courthouse to get them. My plan right now is to organize a team of officers to come with me to serve the warrants. It shouldn't take long and once I'm done; I'm heading back to the courthouse." Anderson paused, expecting for Muldoon to unleash a tirade that another day would pass before Wu and Nedry were brought to safety. "I promise I'll keep you, John, and Dr. Malcolm in the loop of everything. You'll know what's happening every step of the way so that none of you are in the dark."

Muldoon was distracted. He took off his fedora and stood in front of the evidence board filled with photos showing Dodgson's team. Anderson was about to speak up but stopped himself when he saw Muldoon staring intensely at two photos on the evidence board.

Muldoon's gaze was focused on Nedry's and Wu's photos.

"You don't belong there," he said, quietly. "You belong with us, InGen." He turned back to Anderson. "Thank you for your efforts—and for listening." Muldoon put his fedora back on and left the office to return to the hotel.

Anderson watched him leave. "By this time tomorrow, they'll be back here safe and sound," he said aloud as a promise to himself—and as a promise to Muldoon, Malcolm, and Hammond.

oOo

That same evening, Wu waited in his office until he was sure Lopez and Tembo had completed their shifts. He glanced at his watch. It was after eleven at night and by now they should've left Nedry. Wu figured that after Dodgson's meeting, the rest of the team had probably trekked down to the basement to taunt Nedry all day. Now that he was certain they were gone, he could make his move. Opening his drawer, he grabbed what he had stashed away—a gym bag containing rope, his car keys, his notebook, several pens, his wallet, the Jurassic Park lighter, and some cash packed in a manilla envelope. He double-checked his office to make sure he wasn't leaving anything behind. Then it came to him as he opened the top drawer and found the last item he had almost forgotten. The photo showed him, Nedry, Arnold, Muldoon, and Harding standing in front of the visitor center. Folding it in half, he shoved it in his pocket.

Now he just needed his nerve. Wu counted to ten and then exited his office. He knew Tembo and Lopez usually hung around the second floor, while Sonya, Baselton, and King were on the third floor. Lewis Dodgson took up the entire first floor. Deciding that using the elevator may bring attention to him, Wu made his way down the stairway instead. He had one more flight and then he was in the basement. Sighing in relief, he rushed into the room where Nedry was being held and shut the door behind him. His eyes searched and found the chair he usually sat in. After placing the chair in front of the door, he hurried to the gurney and shook Nedry who appeared to be drifting off to sleep.

"Wha—What's happening?"

Wu didn't answer as he quickly undid the straps. He glanced over his shoulder, expecting Tembo or Lopez to come crashing through the door, although he had put a chair in place to stop them from getting inside. Nedry sat up, groggy, and stretched his arms and legs to get circulation going. Wu helped ease him off the gurney.

"We gotta be fast, Dennis, we don't have a lot of time."

Nedry nodded and yawned at the same time. He looked all around the basement as he stretched again. It amazed him that he had been held prisoner there. The entire ordeal felt like it had taken place over a month of time, and his body was still cramped up from laying in the same position.

"Where are we going?"

"Far away from here." Wu grabbed the rope from his bag. "Hold out your wrists."

Nedry suddenly woke up as though Wu had thrown a bucket of ice-cold water at him like Lopez had done days ago. "What the hell?"

"You have to!"

"No—I'm sick and tired of being restrained."

Wu sighed, frustrated. "It's the only way. We need to make it look like I'm turning you over to the police. "

"That's the story if we run into them?"

"Then you come up with something better!"

"That's lame…" Nedry yawned and stretched his arms over his head. He turned again and then grabbed onto the gurney for support. "My balance is off…all these days strapped to this stupid thing."

"I can't have you walking side by side with me like we're taking an evening stroll around the building."

"Fair enough, but wouldn't it make more sense if it was me taking you as prisoner? They see you as precious cargo, Henry—Dodgson does. If they shoot me, they'd at least let you live."

Wu closed his eyes, willing himself not to lose his temper. He was usually calm and collected, but with what he was attempting to do, he was afraid that it wouldn't work, and that fear was manifesting itself with a pounding heart and an unclear mind. He had to act fast and not overthink any of this—which he felt Nedry was doing.

"If they shoot you, I'll never get out of here," Wu gestured at the room they were in. "You're my ticket out of this hellhole."

Wu's rationale clicked for Nedry. He held out his wrists but looked away.

"In front—makes it easier for me to choke someone from behind."

Wu didn't ask Nedry what he meant by that as he looped the rope around Nedry's wrists. "I won't make it tight. You can get out of it easily."

Nedry nodded and yawned again. Wu finished knotting the rope just as Nedry started leaning against the gurney. He realized Nedry was exhausted from all the time spent awake. Even so, they had to get out of here fast. Leave the basement, make their way to the first floor, and then out to the parking lot. Once in the car, they could drive to wherever—as long as it was far from Los Altos. It seemed simple enough.

"You can sleep once we get in the car."

Nedry shook himself awake. "Okay, lead the way."

Wu snatched his gym bag and held Nedry's upper arm as he started towards the door. Kicking the chair aside, he continued to lead. Nedry was slow but did his best to stay focused. They both knew the stakes of getting caught—and they were keenly aware this was their only chance for escape. Wu stopped at the staircase after passing by the elevator. Nedry motioned towards the elevator.

"It'll be easier and faster."

"Got it." Wu reluctantly agreed as he jammed the elevator button.

It felt like a decade had passed by the time the elevator got down to the basement level. When the doors finally opened, they rushed inside. The elevator hummed as it took them to the first floor. They were almost there.

Soon they were at the front entrance and exiting through the doors. Wu sighed in relief as they made their way out to the parking lot. His car was only a hundred yards away; he had always parked close to the building. It was a cloudy night, and the sky had a strange blackish-blue tinge. There was a gentle wind blowing around them. Everything had a creepy feeling to it, but Wu didn't let that bother him. This was still the best time to escape. A wave of confidence swept over Wu and Nedry quickened his pace, despite being exhausted. He had also packed away—Wu stopped in his tracks.

Lopez and Tembo leaned against his car, as though they were waiting to meet him for a night out. Lopez was near the hood of the car and Tembo was situated at the back panel near the rear, holding his double barrel rifle. Both men had frozen grins spread wide on their faces as though they had looked forward to seeing Wu arrive at his car, only to find the people he didn't want to see. Lopez knocked on the hood of the car, giving Sonya the signal to exit from the driver's seat. She did so and joined them.

"Look who decided to burn the midnight oil," Tembo said.

"I'm turning him over to the police," Wu said, keeping his voice steady and eyeing Sonya. Did she steal my car keys and make a copy?

"This late at night?" Sonya asked as she glanced at her wristwatch and then at Wu with pursed lips and blue eyes lit up with amusement. It was a weird expression that showed she was holding in mocking laughter.

"It was a last-minute decision," Wu said.

Lopez and Tembo exchanged a knowing glance.

"That’s like saying Dennis has a clean record—which is horseshit.  This was planned well in advance," Lopez said, scoffing. "We're not stupid, Henry. We've heard all that sweet bonding you've both been doing for the past several nights—and how you exposed Dodgson's trade-off plans."

He took out a tiny voice recorder and waved it in front of Wu and Nedry. Wu maintained a rocky exterior although his heart started slamming against his ribcage. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nedry's eyes widen with surprise.

Still holding out the tiny recorder, Lopez said, "I'm sure you'll recognize this conversation."

There was no way… Wu never had a chance to complete his thought as he heard his voice and Nedry's.

"He said the kidnapping was your idea. That you suggested it when you came back from that assignment to get the raptors."

"When I said that to him after Hammond's accident, I was being sarcastic. No way in hell would I be okay with pulling that crap—and you shouldn't be either!"

"I'm not—I have my limits."

"And Dodgson doesn't have any limits. He has no idea what the word means. Glad you finally see the truth."

"Me too."

Lopez's grin appeared ghastly in the darkness. There was no moonlight. It was pitch black outside save for a single floodlight in the parking lot that they were standing under. The light cast an eerie orange glow on them, and the night was silent except for a brief wind that blew around.

"How?" That was the only question Wu could ask.

"Right beneath the gurney that our favorite nerd was strapped to. He couldn't see it at all; it was taped underneath. We started recording after the first night when Roland noticed you had gone down to the basement."

Wu turned to Tembo who nodded in agreement, confirming what Lopez said.

"The day I told you to put your gun down?" Wu shot the question at Tembo.

"Precisely," Tembo answered. "Since we all guarded him in the mornings and afternoons, that left you the evenings, right?"

Wu maintained the cold persona he was known for. He tried to act like he was still in control, although the situation was quickly slipping out of his control. How much had they recorded? And they knew the entire time I was talking to Dennis, but didn't tell Dodgson? He knew that last thought was impossible, because now he remembered what Dodgson had said after he gave Nedry Muldoon's scars: "I'll give you some time alone time with your fellow InGen rat."

Fellow InGen rat.

That should've told you everything, Henry, he thought, frustrated when he realized the meaning behind Dodgson's words. Wu took a step back, still holding Nedry's arm and guiding him away from them as though he were in protective mode—although he couldn't do anything to defend Nedry or himself. Sonya and Tembo stepped towards them, indicating they had no intention of letting them get away. Dodgson knew this entire time—and said nothing?!

"Sonya would collect it each morning when she went to visit our favorite InGen hacker. She knew to put it in places where neither of you could see it," Lopez continued. "All this time, Dennis thought he was slick with his secret recordings, so we decided to do one better and record you both. I gotta say, you both had interesting conversations."

"Really?" Wu's fury came out in a raspy growl.

"Yeah, especially when you two compared your betrayals." Lopez pointed at Wu and then Nedry. "It's like you were trying to outdo the other: whose betrayal was the worst? Which betrayal was the least hurtful? Hilarious as hell!"

"Comedy at its finest," Tembo said, offering a toothy grin.

"You recorded quite a lot, huh?" Wu asked, glancing at Nedry, who appeared neutral. He was surprised that Nedry hadn't reacted to anything so far.

"Yeah, we did." Lopez was still enthusiastic. "Remember when Dr. Dodgson kept you in the office a little longer while he let Sonya leave the last meeting early? It was so that she could attach a new recorder."

Wu stared up at the night sky as he thought about it. Now he remembered: Tembo and Lopez were talking about dinner, Dodgson told Wu he'd be the main one to pull off the abduction scheme. Baselton and King had been near Dodgson, while Sonya left the conference room…

"Dr. Dodgson heard everything," Tembo said, backing up Lopez. "He just wanted to see how far you were willing to go, and now we have the answer. You chose the person who caused your dreams to come to a screeching halt over the individual who was willing to go above and beyond to make your dreams a reality."

"That's bullshit," Nedry finally spoke. "Dodgson played on Henry's dream of fame; he never had any intention of making it a reality. It's always been about sticking it to John Hammond. Nothing more, nothing less."

Tembo sent Nedry a scathing glance as though he couldn't be bothered to waste precious time on him, and then focused on Wu again.

"Truth is, it comes as no surprise that we have another traitor in our midst. I always knew you held no loyalty towards the team."

"The team never showed loyalty to me either," Wu snapped back.

"Arguing about loyalty is a moot point, Henry, given your treasonous status. A traitor chose another traitor to place his trust in. If you can't see the irony in that, then that's your problem." Tembo pointed an accusing finger at Nedry. "And it's about to become your problem too, Dennis."

Tembo, Lopez, and Sonya fanned out in the area, making it impossible for Wu to reach his car now. Sonya took out two blindfolds and held them up in the air. She came to stand in front of Nedry now as though intending to blindfold him first.

"Here's what we're doing, and this is non-negotiable," Tembo said. "You're going to turn around and go right back where you exited from." He motioned at Nedry and Wu with his double barrel rifle. "Hands in the air and keep them there."

Wu released Nedry's arm as he raised his hands in the air while Nedry raised his bound hands in the air—and then just as quickly he pulled them apart, and looped the rope around Sonya's throat, pulling her backwards. Sonya's blindfolds dropped to the ground as her hands flung to her throat. Lopez pulled out a handgun from his pocket and pressed it against Wu's temple. Wu's swore his heart would leap out of his chest and his legs became rubber even as he heard Sonya coughing.

"Let him go," Nedry growled. "Or I choke out the bitch."

Tembo stood near Nedry and the struggling Sonya on one side. On the other side was Wu, who kept his hands in the air, while Lopez nudged his head with the handgun. He glanced at both parties and then chuckled loudly, thoroughly entertained.

"You've got some damn nerve being that you acted first," Tembo said, motioning with his rifle at Sonya who grabbed frantically at the rope wrapped around her throat. "I understand where it comes from though. You have this insatiable need to be the hero, Dennis. Probably because you've been rejected so many times in your pitiful life."

"Your pretty girlfriend will have her pitiful life cut short if you don't release Henry." He yanked the rope harder, ignoring Sonya as she desperately tried to pull it away from her throat.

Tembo looked at Lopez and shrugged. "Shoot him. Dr. Dodgson will find himself another Henry Wu."

Nedry released Sonya and pushed her to the ground. He threw the rope on her, and she flinched as though she had been burned by it.

"Lucky for you, your boyfriend has a bargaining chip," Nedry said. "And Henry isn't someone you can replace, Captain Ahab!"

Lopez took his handgun away from Wu's temple, but Wu kept his hands in the air. He couldn't believe how fast his escape plan had gone down the drain. Nedry's and Tembo's exchange about him hadn't even hit him yet. Tembo helped Sonya get to her feet and Wu saw the angry scowl painted on her face.

"Are you alright, Sonya?" Tembo asked. He gently touched her neck as she lifted it so that he could inspect it. "Turn this way, up towards the light."

"Your pet huntress is breathing—of course she's fine," Nedry muttered.

Tembo ignored him as he focused on ensuring she wasn't badly injured. Sonya did as Tembo asked, her furious glare never left her face. It was obvious she was embarrassed by Nedry choking her. Wu watched amazed at how Tembo could be an honorable gentleman to Sonya, genuinely concerned about her having a possible neck injury. In the next minute, he could resume his cutthroat persona, especially when dealing with his enemies. Sonya stepped back as Tembo turned to them now, a raging gleam in his eyes. Every trace of his polite and compassionate demeanor had vanished. Wu found it creepy how Tembo's personality could run on either extreme or change at a moment's notice.

"All these ridiculous theatrics for nothing," Tembo said, shaking his head. "Let's try this one more time: you're going back inside the building." He snatched the blindfolds from the ground and handed them back to Sonya. "Blindfold our two friends. Raúl and I will bring them to a room just for them. Keep your gun on them, Raúl."

Wu and Nedry kept their hands in the air as Sonya approached them. When she got to Nedry, she spat in his face. The saliva ran down his cheek and he offered her a syrupy smile.

"It was all in fun, sweetheart!"

Sonya slapped him hard. "You stupid creep!" She went behind him and wrapped the blindfold over his eyes.

Wu watched as Lopez grabbed Nedry's arm in an iron grip and dragged him towards the building. He tried not to overthink the whole scenario that had befallen them. How could I have been so stupid? Of course, Dodgson knew Dennis was trying to get me back to InGen.

"Let's get going," Tembo said, as he led the way to the building. "We've wasted enough time out here."

Wu saw Tembo walking ahead of him when suddenly his vision darkened as the cloth was pressed against his eyes. Sonya tied the knot behind his head and now there was only blackness. Without his vision, Wu found his senses were heightened. His upper arm was grabbed, and he felt himself being pulled forward. The grip on his arm was released. A door opened and closed and then he was roughly pushed from behind.

"What the hell?!" He was tempted to pull off the blindfold.

"Nope, keep walking, Henry." He recognized Sonya's husky voice. "Don't do anything stupid."

Her fingernails dug into his upper arm again as she dragged him forward for some time. There was creaking as another door was opened and Sonya released his arm for the second time.

"In you go."

She pushed him forward again. Wu splayed out his arms to break the fall that he anticipated, but never came.

"Bring our genetic dreamer over here, Sonya." Tembo's authoritarian tone was unmistakable.

Wu felt the sensation of Sonya snatching his arm and pulling him along. Then he was spun around, and his entire body and the back of his head slammed against a pole. A new headache settled in and kept ringing. The pain wasn't the worst; it was the nausea he was experiencing. Wu felt like he had spun in circles twenty times. Dizziness overtook him and his body shook. His stomach was doing cartwheels now, and he was afraid he would vomit on himself.

"Put your hands behind your back." Tembo again.

Wu refused and instead he reached to massage his temples to ease the growing pain.

"I said behind your back, Henry! Damn it, you're as stubborn as your fellow traitor."

"That's his brother from another mother." Wu recognized Sonya's voice in response to Tembo's.

There was a new sensation as his arms were pulled behind his back and his hands brought painfully close together. Then a rope was wrapped around his wrists and pulled tight. The burning in his wrists worsened as Tembo knotted the rope. Wu tried to remain still as he stood against the pole. The blindfold made everything worse because he could hear and feel everything—but he couldn't see anything, and his terror was slowly escalating. His breath was coming out in shallow gasps and his skin felt as though spiders were running all over him. Wu willed himself to calm down and it worked for a short time. He thought he heard the metallic clicking of handcuffs. It sounded far away and then Lopez's mocking voice followed.

"You should be used to this by now, Dennis. Only you won't be able to pick them loose."

Wu listened hard and thought he heard a thumping sound followed by grunting.

"That's alright 'cause I can use my legs to kick your stupid-ass." Wu heard Nedry's distinctive voice.

There was a stifled yelp followed by a body being slammed against the wall. Wu couldn't distinguish who had yelped and whose body was slammed. It was quiet for a moment and then he heard someone being punched. This time he was certain that it wasn't Nedry who delivered the punch.

"Sit there and shut up!" Lopez's fury was reserved for one person only, Wu knew.

He heard rushed footsteps in his direction and huffing.

"I think we're done here."

It sounded like Lopez was talking to Tembo and Sonya right in front of him. Based on how they spoke, he was able to identify all of them.

"They won't be going anywhere anytime soon," Sonya had that annoying sing-song tone that irked Wu's nerves.

There was a brief silence. Wu pictured Tembo assessing the scene and being quite pleased with himself. Then he sensed someone behind him, and the rope was pulled again. By now his hands were numb because of how tight the ropes had been tied.

"Smart move to keep them apart. One standing here and the other on the floor. Unable to go anywhere, although they thought they could escape with no repercussions. Dumb and Dumber."

Tembo had that self-assured tone that Wu despised—and he used Nedry's taunt reserved for him and Lopez.

"Yeah, 'Dumb and Dumber', I remember that nonsense," Lopez said, sounding disgusted. "Look who's Dumb and Dumber now."

"Time to let Dr. Dodgson deal with them. Something tells me he won't be in a forgiving mood, especially since his beloved geneticist stabbed him in the back this time," Tembo said.

"Unlike that felon who has a new enemy every time he breathes?" Sonya asked.

Wu listened as Tembo answered her question. As always, he spoke in that refined manner. Even so, Wu could hear the hatred in Tembo's voice that he knew was directed at him.

"It's easier to forgive an enemy because they hold no standing in your heart…but a friend whom you trusted, when they're wielding the knife…that's far more difficult."

Footsteps marched out of the room and then the door slammed closed. A key clicked in the lock. A long aching silence followed. Neither Wu nor Nedry knew what to make of their precarious situation and their new prison…