Chapter 9: Grant: Actually, It Doesn't Need to Be That Reliable

Huff... huff...

The sound of heavy, jagged breathing filled the air, like someone who had just narrowly escaped death.

Dr. Alan Grant bolted upright, waking from his dream.

"Oh, God," Grant gasped, his breath slowly steadying as the fog of sleep cleared.

"Are you all right, Alan?"

Grant glanced at Ellie Sattler. Only after confirming she wasn't a Velociraptor did he let out a long sigh of relief. "I'm fine. Just a nightmare."

"I hope it wasn't a prophetic one," Dr. Ian Malcolm quipped from the opposite seat. He had aged; his hair was a distinguished silver, but his long legs were as prominent as ever, lending him an even more dashing air than in his youth.

Grant looked at him, paused in thought, and then replied seriously, "No. I don't think you’re going to turn into a Raptor."

Ian froze for a second, clearly not expecting a joke from the usually stoic Grant. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"It seems our Dr. Grant’s love for Velociraptors and this island runs deep. Didn't you have a private vacation with them a few years back? Hmm?"

Grant realized he was referring to the incident on Isla Sorna and said ruefully, "I was tricked into that one."

Recalling the ordeal, Grant turned to Ellie with renewed gratitude. "I should thank you again, Ellie. You saved my life that time."

"It was nothing, Alan," Ellie replied with a small smile. Lines of age had traced her face, but her beauty remained unmistakable. "In all honesty, you gave me quite a scare. That roar on the other end of the line... it’s a nightmare I’ll never truly shake."

Her smile faded into a somber expression.

"Unfortunately, we are about to face those nightmares again. Perhaps for months, perhaps for years," Ian said with a chuckle. Though he was describing a grim reality, his face showed no trace of fear. He added, "Let’s just hope the current park manager hasn't scheduled any 'T. rex car-chase' tours."

Ian’s dark humor remained intact. Grant opened his mouth to respond, but the pilot's intercom interrupted him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are beginning our final descent. Please fasten your seatbelts and look out the windows. If you’re lucky, you might spot some dinosaurs right now."

…

"Aonnn—"

A Brachiosaurus drinking from a lagoon lifted its head and let out a resonant call as the small private plane streaked across the sky.

While most Jurassic World tourists arrived via ferry and monorail, Simon Masrani maintained a private airfield on the island specifically for VIPs.

Whirrr—

The private jet touched down, leaving dark tire streaks on the runway before coming to a smooth halt at the far end. Soon, a mobile stairway docked with the fuselage.

The door hissed open. Grant and Ellie emerged first, followed by Ian, who was already muttering under his breath.

"Oh, for heaven's sake... did you see the crowd in the main plaza? It’s a literal buffet line."

The other two gave him a look. A buffet line? Ian, do you mean that in the way we think you do?

Beep-beep—

A small airport shuttle pulled up. A staff member gestured respectfully toward the seats. As they boarded, Ian couldn't help himself.

"This vehicle appears to be electric. It won't... shut down, will it?"

The driver reacted quickly, smiling over his shoulder. "Rest assured, sir. Every vehicle in our fleet has an independent backup power source."

Before long, the trio met Simon Masrani in the terminal lounge.

"A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, Dr. Malcolm." Simon beamed, shaking hands with each of them. "You’ve had a long journey. I’ve arranged rooms at the hotel for you. We can discuss the details of the project tomorrow morning. Does that sound acceptable?"

"That would be perfect," Ellie answered for the group, and the men nodded in agreement.

The ride to the hotel was quiet until Ian broke the silence, directing a question to Simon in the front seat.

"Mr. Masrani, I understand you intend to build a 'Primeval Ecological Zone.' But man cannot truly master nature. Are you prepared for the inevitable, unintended consequences?"

Simon smiled. "Dr. Malcolm, you’re mistaken about one thing. We aren't trying to master nature. This time, we are merely its observers."

Malcolm frowned, ready to counter, but Simon pressed on. "In the past, we used incubation temperatures to ensure all dinosaurs were female. This time, we are no longer manipulating their sex."

"We provide the habitat and the water, and we ensure they don't leave. That is all."

"That is the hardest part," Malcolm remarked.

Simon, unfazed, spoke with total confidence. "We have learned from Hammond’s mistakes. Every paddock has an independent power grid and triple-redundant backups. Unless some idiot literally opens the gates, it is impossible for these animals to escape."

He paused. "Trust me, we will not make the same mistakes again."

"No," Malcolm muttered. "You’re just making brand new ones."

He went silent. He realized Simon was the same breed of man as Hammond—persuasion was futile. He could only hope the electric fences were as reliable as promised.

Grant thought to himself: Actually, they don't need to be that reliable.

…

Carlo had finally figured out why his stamina never seemed to deplete during his hunts.

The answer was simple: That stamina bar was for swimming!

It only drained when he was in the water.

Caroline stood beside Carlo in the lake. The water barely reached her ankles, stopping well below her knees. She was currently teaching Carlo how to swim.

Though she expected much from her offspring, Carlo’s performance was still impressive. He had taken to the water immediately, a trait etched into his very genes. Contrary to popular belief, large theropods like the Tyrannosaurus rex were capable, even proficient, swimmers.

(In the original Jurassic Park novel, there’s a terrifying sequence where a T. rex pursues Dr. Grant’s raft through a river. It’s masterfully written and incredibly tense.)

So, if you're ever running from a dinosaur, don't assume the water is a safe haven.

Carlo’s small legs paddled back and forth, creating splashes of varying sizes. He was currently swimming in circles.

Previously, Carlo couldn't understand why dogs liked to chase their own tails. He had even wondered if the human memories in his brain were faulty. But now, he understood.

A tail truly has a mind of its own.

Carlo had initially just wanted to give it a little nibble. To his shock, the tail "dodged" him! He tried again. Missed. Again. Missed.

As the saying goes: once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, but three times is a personal insult.

A fierce "Tail-Chasing War" erupted!

Contender Carlo opened his massive jaws! Splash! A heavy strike!

Contender Tail... it dodged!

Carlo used "Rapid Bite"! Quick, short, and powerful! Would he succeed? Let's wait and—

"ROAARR—"

Debby’s roar echoed from the distance.

Caroline glanced toward the sound, then dipped her head into the lake, slid it under Carlo, and lifted.

Carlo found himself sprawled horizontally across his mother’s snout. Ignoring his squeaks of protest, Caroline turned and headed toward the nesting site.

Unexpected interference! Match terminated!

————

Note: Regarding the dinosaurs in Jurassic World, their growth cycles are accelerated. In Camp Cretaceous, the Ankylosaurus 'Bumpy' reached sub-adult status in less than six months. Therefore, Carlo’s growth will accelerate, though he won't reach full adulthood until the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom timeline. An adult ARK Giga is simply too terrifying for the current setting.

Comparative Size Reference

[Species – Height – Length]

Giganotosaurus carolinii (Standard) – 4.2m – 13.8m

Ceratosaurus – 3.0m – 7.0m

Carnotaurus – 3.5m – 10.0m

"Rexy" (T. rex) – 4.5m – 13.4m

ARK Giganotosaurus – 16.2m – 47.0m

When your head is higher than their entire bodies, it's not even a fight anymore. An adult ARK Giga wouldn't even be able to reach a standard T. rex's neck; it would just be "pedicuring" the competition.