Chapter Text
“I'm afraid it looks like evacuation will be the only option.” Claire said to everyone in the room. The groans could be heard echoing off the walls.
They had gathered all department heads and supervisors into the large amphitheater. The control room had been monitoring weather conditions for the past week and now it looked like the island would take a direct hit. They'd spent the last two days trying to figure out any option besides evacuation. It had already been raining on and off for days.
Lowery brought up an image on the large screen, “From what we can tell, we're looking at a slow moving category five hurricane. It's developing very fast but looks to be crawling along, which means it could hang over the island for a couple days. Best guess on the trajectory, we should start to see a ramp up in activity by tonight or tomorrow morning. Flooding is a real possibility before the storm even lands.” he warned.
The chatter around the room became loud and almost overpowering.
“LOOK! I wish we could have found another way, but the fact is the situation is unstable. They are predicting this to be a damaging storm and I don't want to risk any lives if I can avoid it. We're closed for storm season anyway, so it's just us and a few VIP guests that need to leave. We can set everything to automatic controls which will keep the animals taken care of for at least a few days and buy us some time to get back. The goal today is to make sure all the feeding stocks are full and water is accessible at all times for the animals. The auto controls will release food at pre-scheduled times. Each paddock has it's own generator in the event of power loss. Let's make sure they are fueled up and ready to go.”
“What about the retail and hotel staff?” someone asked from the back of the room.
“Get windows boarded up and any electronics disconnected. I want all cash moved to the safes. Everyone should be on some kind of storm prep. Dr. Wu and the lab team will be securing the labs and backing up their data. Anything we can do to protect the park, let's do it.”
Claire fielded a few more questions as quiet chatter could be heard around the room. Owen was standing in the back, leaning on the wall next to Barry. He had been quietly watching the whole meeting, but not really listening. He couldn't help but just stare at her. She was dressed in her field gear instead of her usual business suit and her hair had started to grow out some, so it was pulled back in a ponytail. He was lost just watching her lead the room.
“You might want to wipe that drool off your face before you go talk to her,” he heard Barry say next to him.
“Fuck you.” he grumbled as he tried to discreetly wipe his mouth. Barry just quietly laughed.
“I'm not the one that screwed up my best chance with her.” he chuckled.
“Ugh..” Owen groaned as he dropped his head back against the wall, “Why?”
“You're the one that told me to keep reminding you until you got the balls to try again.” Barry said.
“I was drunk then. I've changed my mind.” Owen argued, leaning back with his arms crossed, eyes still on Claire.
“No you haven't.”
“Yes I have.”
“Merde, you are acting like my five year old niece.”
Owen just sighed, “What am I supposed to do, Barry? This is a woman who gets hit on by billionaires and celebrities. I can't compete with that and I shouldn't have tried,” he shrugged, trying to brush off how he really felt about it, but failing.
“I always knew you self sabotaged that date.” Barry said, shaking his head. He had tried for the last two weeks to get Owen to talk about it, but still had yet to get any details.
“I did not!” he argued in a loud whisper. Barry just gave him a look that let him know he was still behaving like a toddler. He sighed, “Not self-sabotage. More like second guessing myself.”
“Bullshit. I've never seen you nervous a single day I've known you.” Barry squinted his eyes at him.
Owen just paused and looked at Claire again. She was bending over to listen closer to someone speaking and then was laughing as she answered the question. He thought back, “I was sitting at the bar the night before and realized Zara was sitting at the table behind me. She obviously didn't know I was there because she was talking about how excited Claire was about her date the next night. She didn't say it was with me. She mentioned how nervous her boss was and how she had spent days looking for something to wear.”
“It kind of sounds like she was looking forward to it.” Barry said, confused.
“Yeah, and so was I. Then Zara said it had been a while since her last first date and that was a rich guy who flew her over to San Jose for a private dinner and box seats to a show. Apparently she talked about it for a month.”
“What happened with him I wonder?”
“He cheated on her. According to Zara, anyway. There was a lot of chatter on that subject.”
“Okay, so what was the problem then? She was single and looking forward to a date with you, of all people. It took you two years to ask in the first place.”
“I started overthinking it. I knew I couldn't compete with private jets and box seats. Then I got the idea to be completely different and start out more casual. I threw out all my original plans.”
“That was your second mistake.” Barry replied, shaking his head.
“Second?
“Your first was listening in to Zara in the first place.”
“But she was my in, man. She's closer to Claire than anyone. I was sure I would end up with some useful piece of intel.” he grumbled.
“Yeah, and what you got was left in a tequila bar.”
“Such a comedian.” Owen said sarcastically.
“My mother thinks so,” he grinned and Owen slapped him in the shoulder laughing, “So really, why did you do it?
“I saw her that night and, goddamn it, Barry, she was beautiful. And I looked like a bum. I knew I had screwed it up when I saw the look on her face. I suddenly thought I really didn't deserve her. That she belonged with those billionaires. It went downhill from there. The waitress at the bar didn't help matters,” he sighed.
“Waitress?”
“Old hookup. Don't even ask.”
Barry gave him a look that told them they would be talking later, but let it go for now. “That's what you get for eavesdropping, my friend. Had you not heard any of that, you would have been your normal, charming self and I wouldn't be dealing with your constant whining about it.” he chuckled.
“You know, you're supposed to be my best friend.” Owen retorted, raising an eyebrow at him.
“And as your best friend I'm going to give you the best leg up I can. She has been glancing back here every time you turn your head away. Much like she has numerous times you have been in a room together. She still likes you. Get over yourself and come up with a plan. You're about to be stuck in a hotel with her for a few days. And I don't mean be a pig and just try to sleep with her.” he warned.
Owen just gave Barry a look as if to say 'as if I would'. Sighing, he turned back to the stage, just barely catching Claire looking right at him. “Okay, maybe you're right for once.” he said, his smile growing wider.
“I'm always right my friend,” Barry smiled.
Their conversation was disrupted when Claire clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention, “OKAY! That covers any questions from the individual departments. Now for evacuation protocols. As you may have noticed, it's raining. We need to move quickly as this storm is showing to be unpredictable. The ferries will be arriving at 4pm with a planned 6pm departure time. This may change as reports come in. Be prepared to drop what you're doing if called. There should be plenty of time to pack belongings and finish storm prep. Make sure to take any sensitive documents or valuables with you in the event of flooding. I know some of you have personal housing on the mainland but most will need accommodations. Please check with your supervisors about whether or not you need a room. I need those lists to Zara by 1pm at the latest.”
“Will we still be getting paid?!” one of the guys standing near Barry and Owen shouted. Laughs could be heard around the room.
Claire shook her head and smiled, “Yes, Eddie. As long as you are at the docks to return to work when called, you will be paid for all your time. If you are late and miss the return ferry, you better have another job lined up. What you all do with that time in between is up to you.”
“Harsh.” one of the paddock techs near him said.
“We're basically getting a free vacation. I don't think it's too much to ask.” Owen shrugged.
“I think that covers everything. Batten down the hatches and as soon as you are done, head for the docks. The sooner we can leave the better.” Claire said.
“I'll be controlling what I can remotely. Just make sure the feeding stocks are full,” Lowery interjected.
“You heard the man. Let's get to work and get our butts out of here.” Claire said, closing out the meeting.
The room rumbled as everyone stood up, talking to everyone around them.
“I'm gonna go talk to her.” Owen said resolutely.
Barry grabbed his shoulder and held him back, “No you are not, my friend. You are coming with me to do storm prep. She's surrounded right now anyway.”
Owen looked over to see all the department heads circling around her. She was answering more questions while typing in her phone at the same time.
“You're right. Gives me time to devise a plan.”
“Smart man.” Barry said as he lead him out the back door to head back to the paddock.
Claire was finally able to make her way back to the office. She didn't have long before she needed to head out in her Jeep and check in with all the divisions. Simon wanted hourly updates on storm prep and evacuations. He was currently on route to San Jose to meet everyone and help manage the situation.
As soon as her door was closed, she walked over and collapsed in her chair, her feet landing on her desk. She was soaked, but knew there was no point in changing as she'd just be getting drenched all over again. It took all of her energy not to fall asleep right there. She allowed herself a few moments to close her eyes and try to relax.
It wasn't long before her door opened and Zara came walking in with a very large coffee and a clipboard. Claire opened her eyes immediately and sat upright as Zara handed her the coffee.
“I warned you earlier not to that,” Zara smirked.
“The chair just looked so comfy,” she sighed.
“Claire, you've been up forty eight hours straight monitoring this storm. I told you to sleep last night when I left. Clearly you didn't listen.”
“I needed to be sure evacuation was the only option. And then I needed to start making the plan. We're realistically behind by hours,” she replied.
“That didn't mean you couldn't lay down on your couch and nap for a couple hours. There are plenty of people who could have woken you if necessary. You're too wound up, Claire. You need a break,” Zara said just as Claire's phone began to ring.
Claire put it on speaker as she answered it, “Hi Simon. No new updates since last check in,” she said tiredly.
“I assumed that. I'm calling to check on you,” he replied.
“Pfft, I'm fine. Nothing a giant cup of coffee won't fix,” she replied, trying to hide the exhaustion in her voice as she sat up. Zara placed the coffee down in front of her and she grabbed it immediately.
“You are a terrible liar, Claire. You always have been,” they heard Simon say through the speaker.
“I try to tell her all the time. Her face always gives her away first,” Zara said before looking at Claire and receiving a death glare, “What? You have a tendency to show your feelings, even if they don't match what your saying. You and I both know it.”
Claire just groaned, “I thought I had gotten better. But Simon, I'm fine. Really. I can breathe when everything is working and everyone is on the ferry.”
“I'm ordering you to relax over the next couple days. You can finally take that vacation you've been putting off.”
“You want me to take my vacation during a hurricane and an evacuation of the island?”
“If that's what it takes to keep you from working for more than one day, then yes.” he replied. Zara was just quietly laughing next to her. She knew Claire was incapable of stopping for more than a day or two.
“I still think I should stay here and monitor things.”
“Nice try. Claire, you are off the clock when everyone off the island. Including you. Do you understand me?”
“Ugh, yes sir.”
“Good! Now that that's settled, I'll check in again in about half an hour. Let me know where we are.”
“Understood.” Claire hung up the phone and laid her head back on the chair again, groaning.
“You heard the man, as soon as everyone is safe and settled, you are on vacation,” Zara smiled.
“I should be here making sure things keep working. What the hell am I gonna do with myself?” Claire grumbled.
“I have a thought, but you're not gonna like it,” she grinned bigger, like a Cheshire cat.
“If you're thinking about what I think you're thinking about, stop it.” Claire replied, not lifting her head up.
“Oh, come on, Claire! It's been two weeks. And he keeps looking at you like a sad puppy...”
“He does not. Don't exaggerate.”
“It's so freaking obvious and you don't even see it. You should ask him out again. You'll have at least a few days with no distractions.”
“A hurricane doesn't mean party time, Zara.” Claire huffed.
“Sure it does! That's the best time to party! You're trapped together anyway,” she laughed. “You haven't said no to my suggestion, so it seems it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility.”
“He's had two weeks to come ask me again...” Claire said, admitting she had hoped to try again, “I don't think he's interested anymore. I still think he was more interested in Tammy,” she said, almost sneering.
“Bullshit. He looks at you all the time. Especially today. And wasn't just a 'following the meeting' look. And I told you that you should have fired Tammy. She's a terrible waitress anyway. She never gets orders right.”
“I don't have time to think about this. I need to go start checking in with the departments.” Claire finally said as she stood up out of her chair, effectively ending the conversation. She grabbed her phone and her keys as she walked to the door.
“Fine, but this conversation isn't over by a long shot.” Zara warned as Claire made her way out of the office.
Owen and Barry were standing on the catwalk under umbrellas, tossing rats at the raptors as they played below. Owen wanted the girls to get as much exercise as they could, as he wasn't sure how they were going to do locked down for. He really hoped it wasn't more than a couple days. He was happy they were at least going to be fed regularly in their tight quarters.
“I wish we could leave them out until we come back,” he said, raising his thoughts out loud.
“It would only give them enough time to figure out their escape,” Barry chuckled, “They'll be fine. I've timed their feedings for every two hours. I can speed it up remotely if necessary.”
“Hopefully we won't be gone that long.” Owen sighed as he tossed the last rat. Barry waved his arms at the paddock guys to let them know it was time to come in. The two men made their way down the stairs as activity around the catwalk picked up. Men began removing anything even slightly lose and checking structure all around. It was raining harder now and the ground was turning to mud.
Owen and Barry made their way over to the outdoor sink and started washing up, “I'm surprised you aren't looking forward to spending time sheltered down with Claire for a while.”
Owen tried to hide his smile, but since Barry had put the idea in his head, he had been running through ideas on how to approach her, “I am, but I'm allowed to miss my raptors too.”
“Good point. So what is your plan?” he asked as they began to walk to perimeter and look for anything needing to be tied down or put away.
“Don't know yet,” he said as he looked around the paddock wall for any weaknesses or issues, “I think I'll just wait for the right moment to present itself. I don't want to force it. Ignoring my instincts made me screw up my first chance with her.”
Barry walked over the the large machine that controlled the cages and helped feed the raptors to check that the settings he changed held, “I think you are probably right, my friend,” he said as he began pushing buttons on the access panel.
Owen was standing behind him, looking around when he noticed a nearby scaffolding set up to repair something up on the wall. He pulled out his radio, “Hey Benny, when you get a minute, we need some guys to either tie down or disassemble this scaffolding out front here.”
“Got it boss.” he heard the reply say.
“I gotta go back to the bungalow and pack. I think things are good here,” he told Barry who was closing up the panel.
“I'm right behind you. We only have a couple hours before the boat leaves,” he said before looking up and realizing he felt the rain start coming down in buckets.
Owen looked up as well as he felt the drops heavier on his arms, “And it's starting to pour.” He turned back to the paddock, “Hey fellas! Spread the word! Finish up and get moving! It's getting nasty!”
The guys who heard him nodded their heads and turned to tell the others.
“I'll see you on the ferry,” Barry said to him as Owen jogged toward his bike.
“Don't forget to bring the beer!” he shouted as he quickly pulled away from the compound. His wheels spun in the mud before he was able to fully take off.