1,159Harry's spirits were lifted when Lex assured him that her grandfather was not going to let the disrespect he had been shown go unanswered.
It wasn't that Harry was particularly vengeful, he was just happy that people cared.
He spent the next few weeks teaching the baby raptors as they made a nuisance of themselves. They were in absolute awe of his dinosaur form.
Lex was a little annoyed that she couldn't tell the babies apart too easily, especially as Scar and Jelly had asked both her and Harry to help name them.
She had taken time to observe the babies' attitudes and behaviours but she couldn't tell them apart without Harry's help.
There were one or two that stood out with identifying marks though.
It was maybe a month later that Harry was pulled from his pack by Mullins. "There's a dinosaur sighting in California. We may need Scar and Jelly for this as well."
"Why?" Harry frowned. "They can't fly."
"No… but… this dinosaur is ground based… and a carnivore."
"What? How would a dinosaur get that far? Especially without being noticed from Costa Rica to California.
"Are we sure it isn't a baby dragon?"
Mullins pulled out a photo. It was a black and white image from a security camera. "Has Alan seen this?" Harry asked.
"No, why?"
"Because I know every type of dinosaur InGen has made. This isn't one of them."
Harry, Scar, Jelly and the team were immediately on route to Sacramento, California. Harry had insisted that John gather Alan, Ellie and Ian to consult, even if it was remotely.
It had been eight pm when the call came in, it was now nine.
They travelled by truck to the small town about a hundred miles north of the city whilst discussing the situation via computer.
"Harry, I don't recognise this animal." Alan informed them. "Granted, I work with bones, but I'm not recognising a specific species here."
"Specific?" Larkin asked. "Sounds like a 'but' in there."
"I can see bone structures of other animals. Like raptors."
"Alan, are you suggesting that someone else has figured out how to clone dinosaurs and is-"
"Playing Frankenstein, John. Do we know where Wu is?"
"David, find out immediately."
"Are we sure this isn't just an undiscovered species?" Tomas asked.
"From the point of view of a scientific experiment, I would say no." Ian shook his head. "If you were going to attempt cloning for the first time then you would start with something simple and recognisable. A t-rex, raptor, triceratops. We know how they should look from fossils. We have plenty of samples.
"You wouldn't waste a new genome on a first attempt."
"You're assuming this is a first attempt." Ellie countered. "Wu is experienced. If he is involved then all he needs is equipment and samples."
"What are we supposed to be doing?" Harry asked the more imminent questions. "Capture, kill… do we have support from local government?"
"The police and National Guard are both on alert and ready to respond to your call. Even if that call is to evacuate civilians." John informed them. "The local army base has provided an APC for your use."
"Could we get a bird in the sky?" Mullins asked. "Thermal imaging, radar, even just the ability to track ourselves."
"I will speak to the base and see what can be done."
"Do we have any more images, preferably video of the target?"
"No, just eyewitness accounts."
"I need an answer, John." Harry said firmly. "Capture or kill?"
John sighed. "Harry, this is a decision I am leaving in your hands specifically. You weigh things and make the decision. I will only point out two things:
"First, we have never seen this creature before. It is brand new and may be the last of its kind.
"Second, it has killed three people and injured a fourth. It is an immediate threat."
"Killed three?" Harry frowned. "Were they attacking it?"
"No, simple civilians."
"What are you thinking, Harry?" Alan asked.
"It isn't killing for food. One human is enough to satisfy a t-rex for a day."
"Do we have any reports on its intelligence?" Mullins asked. "Can it open doors, puzzle solve?"
"I regret we do not have that information." John said gravely.
The police visibly flinched as Scar and Jelly exited the truck behind the humans.
It was now midnight, but there were a lot of bright lights.
"They fear us." Was Scar's oft and proud declaration.
"They are just scared." Harry countered. "You being here is just a coincidence."
"Who's in charge?" Mullins called out.
He was soon introduced to two men, the local sheriff and the colonel of the local National Guard.
Harry listened to what was said, but he didn't have any input to add. They were soon led to the main street of the small town.
"This is where the attacks happened." The Sheriff, a tall, well-built black man indicated. "My deputies are out searching right now."
"Call them back."
The Sheriff was a bit shocked at the blunt order from the young man.
"Seriously. Call them back. We've seen a raptor take a full clip from an MP5 and still be standing. This thing is bigger and we know nothing about it." Harry looked the man in the eyes. "Call them back or they will die."
The Sheriff looked to Mullins. But Mullins just stared at the man.
"What about the civilians?" The Colonel, a thinner white male asked.
"Evacuate. Immediately." Harry said firmly. "Scar and Jelly can open doors. They can bust down anything that is not reinforced.
"This creature is not hunting for food. It is killing for sport or revenge."
"Revenge?" The Sheriff frowned.
"Before these two joined me," He indicated the raptors. "They were led by another raptor. They systematically hunted down their former captors.
"Now, Scar and Jelly weren't abused by their captors, but they were confined.
"We have no idea how this creature was treated before it escaped."
"I was told, by Hammond himself, that it didn't come from Jurassic Park." The Colonel drew himself up, clearly unhappy.
"It didn't. I know every species Jurassic Park has and plans to have. But most importantly, dinosaur experts don't recognise this creature."
"We're running on an assumption that it is a genetically engineered creature." Larkin offered. "Someone is splicing dino DNA."
"Look, we are on a clock." Harry was getting a bit impatient. "This thing is out there. We don't know where, but we know that it knows there is a decent food source here.
"And that's not accounting for the fact that it isn't killing for food.
"Get your civilians out of here before they become prey."
Mullins silently glared at the two men from behind Harry. They reluctantly nodded and moved off. "Got a plan, Harry?"
"For the moment we need to stay here and watch the evacuation, Sarge. We are about to create a very enticing target if this creature is here."
Harry was sat in a tree, watching the humans be herded onto buses and vehicle transports from the local military base. The military base was where they were being taken.
In trees nearby were Scar and Jelly. The trees were too high for them to climb, but not to jump from. So Harry levitated them.
Mullins and Larkin were standing with the Sheriff, Colonel and a Captain from the army base.
Cain and Tomas were concealed in a sniper's perch they made on top of the town's water tower.
Neither Harry nor the raptors moved. They were patient, methodical and clever hunters.
"Harry, I've got a contact moving behind the houses on this side of the street." Tomas called over the radio.
Harry clicked his in acknowledgement. He looked to each raptor and held his hands up, palms towards them. Wait.
He then disillusioned himself and donned his cloak. He wasn't going to take the chance that it could spot his heat signature like he could.
He moved silently through the undergrowth, skirting the armed soldiers and slipping through the long line of humans.
"Contact attacking!" Tomas whispered urgently.
Sure enough the sleek reptilian like creature burst out of the side gate of the nearest house and leapt silently at the now screaming civilians and a small boy in particular.
"Bombarda!" Harry's spell hit the creature, saving the small boy from being killed, but it sent it into several soldiers.
The creature was clearly shocked and surprised by the counter-attack as it struggled to stand, unintentionally breaking a few human bones in the process.
The screams of pain from beneath drew its attention and it snapped it's jaws in an attempt to bite and kill the soldiers.
A loud bang echoed through the town and the body of the creature jerked as blood spurted from its flank.
Harry was now closer, he could see numerous dinosaurs in this one being. It was built to kill. To hunt. To assassinate.
Harry summoned the three screaming soldiers towards him as he called for Scar and Jelly.
The creature didn't spare a glance as it turned and ran back behind the buildings. A second bang sounded.
"We tagged it twice." Tomas reported. "Nothing fatal."
Harry immediately began working on healing the three soldiers. "Sorry about that."
"Fuck you kid." One of the soldiers snarled at him as he cradled his arm.
"Shut up you ass." A third wheezed, holding his chest. "This is our job. Kid did his."
"Feel free to leave him to normal medical aid." The one Harry was currently working on chuckled as his leg was healed.
"I'd just get in more trouble." Harry grumbled as he moved to the asshole.
"The fuck are you doing, Harry?" Mullins demanded as he ran up with Larkin and the raptors. "You need to track that thing. Fix these people later."
Harry just laughed and moved to heal the ribs of the last soldier. He then stood. "Sarge, Cain tagged it twice." He indicated the blood on the men. He stepped back and transformed. "It can't hide from me now." The massive Indominus Rex chuckled.
"Ladies, now we hunt."
The town watched in fear and awe as the massive predator turned and slinked past the buildings and faded out of sight, the two raptors following.
"Shit." Everyone turned to the belligerent and now terrified soldier.
"Kid did say humans were tasty." Larkin shrugged.
The soldier actually passed out.
%
Following the creature was easy. It was leaving a trail of blood that indicated Cain had hit something important.
They eventually found it lying in the bushes of the forest, breathing heavily, but unconscious.
Less than a hundred meters away was a large manor. There were cars and trucks in the driveway, the lights were on, the front door open.
And several dead bodies.
Harry transformed and sent a stunner and binding spell.
"Sarge, come in."
"Go ahead, Harry."
"We've captured the creature. Can you arrange pick up? We need to get it to Sarah and Newt or it will die."
"You are authorised to portkey it to the lab cages."
"Recommend you get to Scar and Jelly quick. I think we've found where this thing came from."
"We are moving out."
Harry was back well before the team arrived. In the meantime Harry had cast several spells at the area to detect life signs. It didn't look good.
It took an hour for the team to arrive, with them came the Sheriff, several deputies and about thirty men from the National Guard.
"What have we got, Harry?" Mullins asked quietly.
"Probably just a graveyard. I doubt the creature left anything alive. If it did, well, they're probably begging for death right now."
"You don't suspect any other threats?"
"Only humans, if they are alive." He indicated the sub machine gun lying next to one of the corpses.
"Sarge, can we test out my drone?" Cain asked. It was rare for the usually stoic man to show emotions, but he was clearly eager.
For the following twenty minutes, the team, along with the Colonel and Sheriff, watched on a small laptop as Cain drove his little toy RC car around the grounds and the manor.
"This is amazing." The Sheriff muttered. "Imagine using this in a hostage situation, or drugs bust."
"Not to mention basic field recon." The Colonel added. "I've heard they were researching this stuff, but not on such a compact model."
"This is a custom job." Larkin said proudly. "Bobby is a bit of an engineer and a problem solver. He sees a problem, he builds the solution."
"Bet it costs a fortune." The Sheriff sighed.
"A couple of hundred." Harry shrugged. "It has a limited range though."
"Mister Potter, sometimes being able to see two foot in front of you is a godsend on the battlefield." The Colonel said seriously.
"Ain't that the truth." Larkin muttered.
"That's the perimeter, Sarge." Cain reported as the little four-by-four RC jeep rolled up. "Want me to send it inside?"
"Don't see the point in risking our hides." Mullins nodded. "You got enough juice?"
"Four more packs, Sarge." Cain said as he swapped out the battery pack. "Not sure how far this car can get though. Stairs and doors are unpassable barriers."
"I could do a fly-by on the windows on the upper floors." Harry offered.
"Go invisible. Tomas, try and track him and make sure he isn't spotted."
"Channel two, Harry." Tomas said as he flicked his radio.
Thirty minutes later and neither Cain nor Harry could find signs of life in the manor.
Mullins gave everyone two minutes to check their gear before they headed in.
"At last! I hate waiting." Scar grumbled as she took the lead, slinking smoothly towards the door.
"Shh, we are hunting." Harry admonished.
"Cut the chatter you three."
Harry turned and glared at Mullins.
Then the translation came through his headset. "Sorry."
Harry immediately moved for the closed doors, casting detection spells and then opening them, Scar bursting in and checking the room before slinking back out.
They then headed upstairs.
"Sarge-"
"I know." Mullins scowled as they looked at what was clearly a little girl's bedroom. "Larkin, Tomas, search the room. Find the name of the kid and where she might be.
"Colonel, you might want to ask the Sheriff to get us the names of the residents."
"I'll send some men back to that office we found." He nodded.
"Scar, Jelly, can you smell any human children in here?"
"No. Only adults. One adult. A male." Jelly answered.
"The girls can't smell any kids. Just one adult." Harry informed Mullins.
"Colonel, we'll move onto the basement." Mullins informed the uniformed man.
"You! It had to be you."
"That's Wu, right?" Larkin asked the group as they observed the angry man sitting in a cage in a large laboratory with broken equipment everywhere and dead men with guns.
"I guess we were right." Tomas commented. "It is a genetic creation."
"Do not ignore me." The Henry Wu snarled at them. "And get me out of this damned cage."
"Sarge, I'm thinking this is now the Sheriff's domain." Larkin offered. "I'm guessing the feds will come in and sanitise the place, but our job is done."
"This one is familiar. It reminds me of John." Jelly said as she sniffed at the cage causing Wu to back up.
"He was probably there when you hatched." Harry offered.
"How? How are you controlling them?" Wu demanded of Harry. "It can't just be that ridiculous magic." He spat. He backed up as Jelly leapt closer, her muzzle snapping at the bars.
"Harry."
"Relax Sarge. Jelly is just making sure he knows his place." Harry assured them. "And that no one controls them."
"Danny."
Larkin turned and walked over to where Cain was leafing through some papers. "Oh fuck no. Sarge, better alert the Sheriff that this bastard was working on human cloning.
"That kids bedroom belonged to a dead girl. Maise Lockwood."
"Was there a reason you decided not to kill the creature, Harry?" John asked as the pair, along with Lex watched Newt and Sarah work on the injured 'dinosaur'.
"It was already passed out. Bobby had neutralised the threat. It didn't seem right to kill it like that.
"Besides, when it wakes up I might be able to learn something from it. Like what it saw."
John just nodded. "You need to be aware of something, Harry. Henry filed a lawsuit against you and me for theft. He tried to do so after we first fired him, but he couldn't talk about magic."
"Theft of what?" Lex asked.
"His genetic research. The Indominus Rex."
"But that was an accident!" Lex argued.
John chuckled. "Oh, I wouldn't call it quite an accident. More like gross negligence. Henry knew there was a massive storm coming and he failed to secure his chemicals. InGen has strict laboratory rules. You don't leave chemicals and tools out unattended.
"Henry Wu might be trying to sue us, but we are counter suing him."
"Can he win?"
"Nothing is impossible Harry. But even if he does win, he won't be able to enforce anything. Costa Rica and the United Kingdom still consider you a citizen.
"Besides, all he could really get is money."
"You said money." Lex was glaring at her grandfather, two weeks later. They were sitting in John's office in Jurassic Park.
"Alexis, calm yourself." John glared. "Henry Wu has no rights and no legal standing to 'acquire' Harry."
Henry Wu was an extremely intelligent man. All he had ever lacked was money to get things done. He wasn't just suing InGen for an obscene amount of money, he was also demanding that Harry be forced to submit to his personal experiments as the wizard now carried his life's work.
Lex, who was a life long pacifist, was actually contemplating murder.
"That said, it would be best if you stayed on the islands for now. Do not leave them without Mister Mullins and his team."
"What about the wedding?" Lex had spoken with her parents and set a date. She was looking forward to becoming Mrs. Potter.
"I sincerely hope it doesn't a year to sort this out, Alexis."
Henry Wu's case was steeped in the more esoteric aspects of the law. He had prepared the case himself. He was now presenting it despite being under federal arrest for industrial espionage, illegal experimentation and the deaths of several people.
More than fifty, actually.
He was being held accountable for all the deaths at the Lockwood Manor and in the nearby town.
Fresh DNA samples were found in his belongings that came from various dinosaurs in Jurassic World and Scar and Jelly.
Worse was the one from Harry.
But somehow he was still taking his case to court.
Harry was ordered to attend by the courts in Washington but he was surrounded by bodyguards. Two of which could not be disarmed.
Scar and Jelly were glaring at anyone who approached.
Harry had asked to address the trio of judges that were hearing the case.
"Mister Wu is demanding I be turned over to him." Harry sighed as he stood at the podium. He was used to public speaking, John occasionally had him join him when talking to interviewers for the television. He refused to speak to printed media reporters unless he was allowed to record the event.
"What is disappointing is that you have not immediately rejected it out of hand. I thought the United States had finally abolished slavery."
"This is not about slavery." The old male in the middle frowned at him.
"Then you do not understand the meaning of the word." Harry shrugged. "But the real kicker, is that he doesn't even want me for labour. He wants me so he can cut me open and study me.
"He's brought forth all these little bits of law that were long forgotten, never used or simply ridiculous.
"So instead, I will bring forth an old law.
"I demand a trial by combat. To the death or first blood does not bother me. But it is a right I have as a citizen of the United States.
"Unfortunately for Mister Wu, he brought his case to this country. Trial by combat was outlawed in England long ago."
"It may still be on the books, Mister Potter, but that doesn't mean we are going to allow it." The judge chuckled.
"I never said who I was challenging."
That caused them to become very serious.
"Mister Potter, are you threatening us?"
"No. I am stating my intentions to fight my case by my lawful right of trial by combat."
"It is actions like that that could see your citizenship revoked."
"Which would mean you had no jurisdiction over me." Harry frowned. He then turned to John. "Didn't the alleged theft occur at Jurassic Park?"
"Mister Potter, we are not finished." The judge warned.
"Wouldn't that put the case under Costa Rican jurisdiction?" Harry ignored the judge.
John blinked. Then he turned his glare on the lawyers. "Well?" He demanded.
"There are heavy links to the US." A woman in a business suit and skirt offered.
"Yes, but Mister Potter was a minor at the time and not a US citizen." A male lawyer mused. "He was also not affiliated with Jurassic Park, InGen or the Hammond Foundation.
"To be honest… Mister Potter should be suing InGen."
"Irrelevant." Another of the judges shook his head. "The statute of limitations has passed."
Everyone turned to the judge, including the other two judges.
Harry turned back to the lawyers. "Can I sue for malicious prosecution?"
Henry Wu had been furious when Harry and the others had simply walked out. If it wasn't the fact that the 'crimes' occurred outside the US, it was the fact that Harry was a minor.
And that the statute of limitations had passed on any crimes.
John had been livid with his lawyers, threatening to end his association with them for their incompetence.
John had also sent a strongly worded letter to the US government threatening to take future business elsewhere if they allowed this sort of persecution again.
That had caused a bit of a panic when it filtered through the government. Talks were already in place for a satellite park in California. The loss of revenue would be significant.
Harry didn't care about any of that. Unless they became a direct threat he preferred spending his time with his pack and family. The baby raptors were now eagerly investigating everything and pouncing on anything that moved.
Anyone who came to visit the raptors had to submit to having their clothes charmed by Newt, Tina, Sirius or Harry. Otherwise there would be a lot of blood.
Harry, Scar and Jelly still had to tell some of the hatchlings off for playing too rough and not minding their little claws.
"Fight me."
"No. There will be no fight. You behave or I kill you."
"You are puny. A human."
"You are chained up in a cage. A monster." Harry retorted as he stood in front of the steel bars keeping the creature they had captured in California caged.
It had finally recovered enough that Newt and Sarah had discharged it from the animal hospital.
"Why did you kill all the humans? You didn't eat them. It was a waste."
"They deserved it. Calling me their 'weapon'. Cutting me, poking me. Keeping me locked up." It ran its sharp clawed fingers across the bars. "I will break free. I will kill you."
"You are a monster." Harry told it with disgust. "You are what others live in fear of." The creature seemed proud of that. "But you are not the only monster. You are certainly not the most powerful."
Harry turned on the spot and vanished, shocking the creature as it began sniffing for any sign of the human.
"You should check to see if Wu used any human DNA in that thing." Harry grimaced as he appeared in the conference room where John, Newt, Tina, the team along with Ian, Alan and Ellie had been watching his interactions with the captive dinosaur.
"Oh god." Ian groaned. "Why exactly?"
"I think it can understand English. Was there a translator at the manor?"
"No. Nothing we keep around for tending to dinosaurs." Mullins answered. "Just for controlling, creating and experimenting."
"It called us humans. It had an intelligent vocabulary." Harry informed them.
"Actually, Harry, I believe the answer lies on our side of the table, so to speak." Newt spoke up. "You were not talking to that thing like you do to dinosaurs.
"You were hissing. There was a lot of snake DNA used to create it. I believe that and the inherent magic of snakes gave it its intelligence."
"Are you saying that Wu managed to create a magical dinosaur?" Ellie asked, clearly shocked.
Newt laughed. "You are presuming that there were no naturally magical dinosaurs. I don't believe fossils would provide that information.
"But yes, I believe there is magic in this… dinosaur." He finished with distaste.
"This is bad." Ian said gravely. "Very bad."
"Ian?" Alan asked gently.
"Look, we already knew that rexes and raptors were dangerous before John started cloning. We've seen the chaos and read the reports.
"We know that cloning is no longer limited to InGen and that other companies are willing to put the public at risk for money.
"Now imagine what will happen if these companies realise they can clone and combine magical creatures?
"A beast with the flight of a dragon and the breath of a nundu? Countries could be wiped out."
"That is a terrifying thought." Newt said shakily. "And I have faced dragons, nundus and worse."
"Give it the resurrection ability of a phoenix and you've got the un-killable monster." Harry groaned. "God forbid you add the teleportation abilities of house elves and the intelligence of snakes." He gestured to the large screen showing the captures monster.
"This would be a bad time to think about scientists trying to play with magic… right?" Larkin asked worriedly.
"How would they manage that?" Tina asked.
"Once the world learns that magic can be artificially duplicated in a living being it won't be long before scientists try to develop a way to make it in regular humans.
"No idea if that will be before or after they try to weaponize it."
"He's not wrong." Ian groaned. "Magic has been public knowledge for a few years now. Scientists have probably already tried and may have even succeeded."
"Magic is not a simple energy that can be coerced like electricity." Newt frowned.
"That's not how wizards tell it." Ellie argued. "You use a wand, runes… you manipulate the energy."
"She's right, Newt." Tina said softly.
"Of course." Newt nodded. "But at the same time, magic has a sentience of its own. It can react and respond."
"For things like spells? Cleaning, mending? It can respond to those?" Mullins asked.
"Possibly. To be honest it is more about how it handles massive magical events."
"None of which means that non-magical scientist couldn't harness magic and potentially weaponize it." Larkin declared.
"Or the fact that they have or are trying." Ian agreed.
"Ok, debates about magic are beyond the scope of this meeting." Alan interrupted. "We need to figure out what to do about that." He pointed at the monitor. "We also need to figure out just how many others have attempted and possibly succeeded in cloning.
"Remember, you found evidence that Wu was being paid to clone a little girl."
John decided it was time to take action. "Ladies, gentlemen, I officially request your aid in creating a briefing for the governments of the world and the United Nations.
"They need to be warned that there may be others out there who have started experimenting with cloning and not taking the appropriate safety measures.
"They need to be warned about the dangers of cloning magical creatures.
"Furthermore, they need to be informed of the potential danger of humans being cloned and replaced. Miss Maise Lockwood was being cloned out of a profound sense of loss by a father… it will not take much for governments and powerful people to start creating clones to replace enemies."
The group had discussed and debated the pros and cons of releasing this information. Whilst warning people of the possible dangers, it greatly increased chances of giving other people the idea to try it.
"I think we need to remember something very important." Ian spoke up late into the night. "We are not the most intelligent people on the planet. We are some intelligent people.
"I guarantee that there are smarter people out there who have or will think of possible cloning exploitation."
"They don't have to be smart." Lex scoffed, she had joined them when Harry didn't return home. "They just have to be inventive.
"Harry didn't know a thing about dinosaurs, computers or technology when we first met him, but he still got us off the island.
"If someone has the motivation they can do anything. Even if it is for bad goals."
"There is the another consideration though." Harry sighed. "We could be setting up for witch hunts."
"Kid, when you say witch hunts, do you mean literal or figurative?" Larkin raised a quizzical eyebrow.
"Figurative." Harry chuckled. "What's to stop people pointing fingers at people they want gone and claiming they are a clone?"
"Truth potion." Tina responded quickly. "Not to mention legilimancy. Whilst Harry called them 'witch hunts' figuratively, witches and wizards have the solutions to those issues."
"And if the person- clone believes that they are the original?" Harry asked.
"Then the accuser needs to provide proof." John answered. "Which they would need to do even before an official investigation took place."
"Mister Hammond, it's nearly 3am." David spoke up quietly from where he was standing patiently behind John.
"Good Lord.
"Missus Hoyte will have my hide if she finds out I am up so late." John muttered as he stood. "Let's talk again tomorrow."
June Hoyte had found out and had insisted they not meet for three days. John was confined to relaxing for a few days. Riding around the islands on an electric cart driven by David, enjoying the more sedate rides. Generally basking in the success of his dream.
The only thing missing from his three days of relaxing was not having Tim with him to enjoy the dinosaurs with him. Unfortunately for John, Tim was becoming more of a teenager. Moody, irritable, easily embarrassed and thus defensive.
He wanted to spend more time with his friends than reading about dinosaurs, especially with the computer game boom.
John was sad, but knew that it was a phase that even he went through.
So instead he dragged Harry around.
Harry bore up well, he liked the dinosaurs, that was never an issue. But people? He was not a fan of crowds.
Still, for John, he'd simply enjoy the man's own exuberance and joy.
"Mister Hammond, I've just received word that the men from the US Military have arrived." David informed them as they stood outside the t-rex paddock.
A few meters away, Harry was talking to some children and explaining about the rex and it's likes and dislikes. The rex itself, now a fully grown adult, was lying on the other side of the moat and fence, just staring at them. It resembled a large dog with its head flat on the ground.
Seeing Harry like this was the embodiment of his dreams come true. His children carrying on his legacy. It was what he hoped he would get to see Lex and Tim do.
He reluctantly called the young man over and they headed to the administrative buildings on the human only island.
"Mister Hammond, Mister Potter. I am General Gerard, US Army, this is Admiral Lakes, US Navy."
Both men were in their sixties and in dress uniform.
"Please, take a seat gentlemen." John indicated the conference table in the brightly lit room, several stories up. "Now, what is it the US Military could possibly want with a dinosaur park?"
David took a position a few steps behind John's chair and Harry took the chair on John's left.
"Mister Hammond, the armed forces have a long history with animals. Everything from rats to elephants. We are always looking for that extra edge over the enemy.
"That is not to say that we still use dogs as living bombs, but they are exceptional companions for explosive detection. Not to mention drug and firearm searches.
"We were hoping that there might be a place for certain dinosaurs, working alongside our servicemen."
"I can honestly say that the only time that would happen is if their homes were directly threatened. By which I mean, the soldiers would have to have actually invaded.
"None of the dinosaurs have special skills like a dog and its impressive nose." John shrugged.
"My understanding is that the tyrannosaurus rex has exceptional scent tracking capabilities." The General frowned.
Harry snorted. "Sure, but she doesn't behave herself. She can learn, but has limited impulse control. If we were to let her out of her paddock, she'd soon start feasting."
"But she listens to you. When you are in your other form." The Admiral pointed out.
"Nope. Give her half a chance and she'd be running amuck. My instructions usually are accompanied by my foot on her head and my mouth at her neck.
"She knows I'm stronger than her and she sees me as in charge, but she will always push the boundaries we set."
"And you are sure this would be true if another of her kind were trained from birth?" The General queried.
"Trained to behave." The Admiral interjected at Harry's dark look. "My family had a dog when I was young. She was much like you described the rex. We had to send her to puppy school… still never took." He chuckled.
"Every animal is different." Harry shrugged. "I know the natural born offspring on Isla Sorna have had fights with their parents. Doctor Harding says it is typical animal pack behaviour.
"She's warned me that some of the juvenile raptors that were just born into my pack might try and challenge me."
The two men were startled at the casual way the young man had just admitted his animals might try and kill him.
"Is it really safe to keep them around others?" Admiral Lakes asked.
"We've warded the area. They don't get out without a chaperone."
"But your two senior pack members, Scar and Jelly, they haven't challenged you?" General Gerard asked.
"I believe that was settled back in '94." John smirked. "Remember, they chose Harry as their alpha."
"Well, it is a shame that the dinosaurs don't have anything that would interest the military, but InGen itself does." The General changed tracks. "Most of your technology is heavily patented. But we were able to get the basic idea as to what you do. We would be very interested in discussing purchasing the rights to some of that technology."
"Such as?" John asked neutrally.
"The imaging technology you use to track the dinosaurs. Our people see a great use for that in aiding occupying forces and preventing insurgent attacks."
"I have heard that you might get similar requests from civilian branches of the government." Admiral Lakes added. "That technology installed at airports, docks and train stations could prevent terrorists entering the country."
John nodded slowly. "I would be willing to discuss that with my people.
"What else did you have in mind?"
The two men shared a grim look. "Whatever you use for capturing, transporting and containing rogue dinosaurs." General Gerard said firmly. "The incident in California has shown that you aren't the only ones creating dinosaurs. America needs to be ready handle facing raptors and rexes on the battlefield."
"If you are being attacked by a rex in battle. You run or blow it to bits." Harry scoffed. "Even the strongest poison will take several seconds to act and it will cause massive damage in that time.
"Every second you waste trying to bring it down is another of your people dead."
"Harry! Harry! Harry!"
Harry looked down at the numerous expectant raptor faces bouncing up and down excitedly. He had literally just stepped through the door of his rooms on Isla Nublar.
"Uh huh. What do you want?" He asked, knowing full well they were going to cause him mischief.
"We want to play outside!" The eldest male chirped.
"The door's open." Harry shrugged.
"No, outside the fences." Another male huffed.
"And you think you can all be well-behaved enough for something like that?" Harry asked sceptically.
"We are always very good." The eldest, a female said primly.
"So if I go and ask your mums, Newt or Sarah if you've all been good, they will tell me 'yes'?"
"Erm…"
"That's what I thought. Listen, when the lot of you can go a full two days without getting in trouble, then I'll take you for a trip outside the fences."
"But what if only one of us is naughty?" The littlest and youngest whined.
"We are a pack. A family. What one of us does affects all of us. If one of you is naughty then you need to tell them off. They are spoiling things for everybody."
Harry smirked as he stepped over the little ones. He saw them all glare at Scar's youngest. A little male who insisted on trying to climb everything.
He moved to sit down at the table as the two mothers joined him.
"No more eggs until the hatchlings are grown up." Scar grumbled.
"I want more." Jelly declared.
"I want sleep." Scar retorted. "These hatchlings can help care for new hatchlings when they are adults."
"And if the current hatchlings want hatchlings of their own?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.
Scar grunted unhappily. "We need more humans."
Harry was absolutely shocked. It was two days later and Scar, Jelly, Newt and Sarah had all reported that the young raptors had behaved themselves.
Scar was extremely sceptical, but she hadn't seen them do anything. Nothing was broken, scratched or eaten.
So Harry was now honour bound to take them outside the fence.
This was an event that John, Lex and Tina weren't going to miss.
Scar and Jelly were frequently seen walking around Isla Nublar. They were world famous, often photographed with Harry. But they always drew attention.
Today was even more so as the convoy of raptors and humans headed towards one of the maintenance gates that would take them out of the park.
There were smiles, laughs and even some fear as the group slowly made its way. Scar and Jelly were both very jumpy as this was the first time their hatchlings were out in the world.
Fortunately Mullins had his team on hand and they kept the tourists at a distance.
The little raptors chattered away, excited at all the humans and dinosaurs they could see.
Eventually they reached the gate.
"Where are we going?" One of the boys asked.
"Outside the fences." Harry indicated the now open gate.
"But we are outside the fences." A female argued.
"This is where everyone else is." The male looked around at the staring humans.
"There is a lot more world beyond this." Harry laughed.
"You haven't even seen the ocean yet." Jelly pointed out.
"Is it far?" One of them asked worriedly.
"Can we go home? I'm tired and hungry."
"Is there a problem, Harry?" Newt asked.
"They are tired and hungry and want to go home." Harry sighed. "I think they just wanted to see this." He gestured to the park.
"Ah… they are young and this is the furthest they have travelled. It is probably best that we take them home. We can't carry all of them."
"Alright pack, turn around, back home for food and rest."
It was a slightly more subdued group that headed back to Harry's rooms.
"You do realise that this is how it is with all children?" Tina asked as she stepped up next to Harry as they all walked. "When you have your own you will find that they want to walk… but quickly they will tire and you will have to carry them."
A few weeks later and the little raptors had made it out of the gates. They were not impressed. It was nearly the same as their garden.
There had been an interesting development. Whilst Ian's attempts at teaching Scar and Jelly how to read had gone nowhere, he had tried the same with the hatchlings.
Not only were they able to understand the television with subtitles on, but they could also type. Two of the raptors had managed to pick up pencils and scrawl their names.
Ian was thrilled at his success… even if it didn't have anything to do with Kelly or Chaos Theory.