Epilogue

Robert Muldoon stepped back and watched the entire scene unfold in the hatchery. He was deeply moved when seeing the happiness glowing on everyone's faces, especially Tim Murphy's, as he cradled the recently hatched Crichton's ankylosaur. The scene was so beautiful that it seemed dreamlike. After going through so many trials and tribulations, InGen had finally been rewarded in a grand manner. Muldoon believed it was well-deserved.

Everyone was preoccupied by Jurassic Park's newest addition and barely noticed when Dennis Nedry quietly left the area.

Muldoon noticed right away and quickly followed him. Before leaving the hatchery, he made eye contact with Ray Arnold and mouthed "be right back". Arnold nodded, but the puzzled expression didn't remain on his face too long. Like everyone else, he was awestruck by the success of Project 16. Crichton's ankylosaur had a captive audience at that moment.

Where's he going? Muldoon asked himself. He watched Nedry rush through the front entrance of the visitor center and wondered if he should continue pursuing. I have to—he can't just leave like that. Yet, Muldoon knew there were far more important things to think about, aside from Nedry making a swift getaway.

For one thing, Hammond's project to clone a sixteenth species had been amazingly—and surprisingly—successful. Muldoon never would've guessed that John Hammond and Henry Wu had managed to accomplish this feat and keep it a secret from everyone on the island. It was terrific, but it also brought up other thoughts that he'd rather not think about such as what to do about Wu's absence since he left with Biosyn. Muldoon wondered if InGen would replace him…hire a new chief geneticist. The mere idea of replacing Wu was daunting to Muldoon. To give another geneticist an opportunity to learn about InGen's accomplishments wasn't a trivial task. Muldoon frowned when he thought about it. He hoped Wu would eventually return to InGen…that would be the best case scenario.

Even more heartwrenching was explaining to Hammond that not only had Wu betrayed them for Biosyn, but that there were no more velociraptors on Isla Nublar. Muldoon wanted to believe after all this time, Hammond would have the common sense to understand why they had been eliminated without his consent. He may not appreciate it, but Muldoon didn't expect Hammond to be grateful. He just wanted him to accept it. The reasoning was obvious enough, but Muldoon reminded himself that Hammond might still value the animals over his own life and safety—despite everything that had happened.

What about Biosyn's brief reign? Does John have to know about that too? Muldoon sighed as he slowly approached the entrance where Nedry had exited. The raptors' extinction and Dodgson's minions taking over the island paled in comparison to Wu's betrayal. While Muldoon was glad that Hammond would be returning to the island, the very subject of how to relay to him everything that had taken place was exhausting to contemplate. Then again, we agreed we would tell him the truth and not keep secrets…that's a step forward, he thought. Muldoon allowed himself to settle on that thought. He had learned—and also everyone on InGen had learned the hard way—that it was best to be honest and straightforward. Lying, keeping secrets, and covering up proved to be far more damaging. It was great that everyone on staff agreed to be truthful with Hammond, and Muldoon was certain it would bring everyone closer together.

On that note, Muldoon reflected on all the good that had come about in the recent months. He could focus all day on what had gone wrong, but now he decided to consider and magnify all the positive turnarounds. Just being in the hatchery with everyone showed Muldoon how much everything had changed. Much of the relationships had been restored amongst the park staff. Dr. Malcolm, Ellie, and Dr. Grant are friends again. Muldoon remembered all the times when Grant and Malcolm couldn't be in the same room together without Ellie feeling awkward. Now their friendship had been renewed. Donald had invited Tim and Lex to see John. Tim and Lex had given Gennaro a second chance after everything he had done, and so far, they were rebuilding their rapport. Ray and I are back to business. Muldoon smiled at that last thought. It was really nice to have his friendship with Arnold, strengthened and alive. It had been strained for so long with all the tension due to Biosyn's reign and the situation with Nedry. Muldoon was relieved that he and Arnold had worked on healing their friendship. He knew Arnold felt the same way.

There were other things to celebrate, too. InGen's newest addition, George Lawala, blended in really well with everyone. Muldoon was pleased to see that Ellie gave Lawala a chance, and now they got along great. Ellie's greenhouse had been completely restored, thanks to Lawala and Ellie working together to make it happen. Harding was completely at peace. The dinosaurs in the park were no longer getting sick. In fact, he had commented to Muldoon just yesterday that this was the first time in a long while that all the animals in the park showed optimal health.

Upon fully reflecting everything, Muldoon came to accept that the present situation on Isla Nublar was a mix of good and bad. That's life for you, he thought, half-smiling. Some things work out for the best, and others don't. There isn't a straight answer to everything. On that note, he remembered he was following after Nedry.

Muldoon quickly opened the visitor center's doors just in time to see Nedry climb into a gas-powered jeep. The jeep was on the dirt path leading into the park, and was right in front of the visitor center. Nedry looked as though he planned to leave the island. Muldoon saw him insert the ignition key and wasted no time rushing down the steps to catch him before he drove away. The car rumbled to life just as Muldoon got to the window.

"Dennis!"

Nedry looked up at the sound of his name and quickly put the jeep in park mode. "You need to be more careful. I could've run over your feet!"

Muldoon gestured at the jeep. "Where are you going?"

"To a place far away where I can enjoy my freedom while I still have it," Nedry said, reaching over to buckle his seatbelt.

Muldoon tried to keep the anger out of his voice. "After everything's that's happened, you still only think of yourself."

"No one else will do it for me."

"You're a coward with no spine." Muldoon's eyes bored into Nedry's like lasers. He didn't know why he said what he did next, but it spilled from his mouth before he could stop himself. "You have a prison term to finish serving."

"And you have a prison to tear down and rebuild. Isn't that fun?"

"It's not a prison—it's an enclosure."

"Same thing, different words." Nedry smirked. "If it has four walls and limits your movement, then it's a prison."

"So you think it's better to let the animals roam wherever they like?

"I didn't say that. I just think—aw, never mind. I have to go." He turned on the gas-powered jeep.

Muldoon was relentless. "Why'd you say that about Henry back there? You did that just to hurt Ray."

"No, I didn't. He's a stupid traitor—Henry is. He's a fool."

"And you're not? You're not a traitor or a fool?"

"I've made mistakes."

"But have you learned from them?

Nedry said nothing. He stared through the windshield, refusing to acknowledge Muldoon's question.

"I see how it is. You want no one else to share the title with you."

"What title?"

"The title of being traitor to InGen."

"Don't be stupid, Robert." Nedry rolled his eyes. "It's not a proud title to have."

"You know something…the same day you were sentenced, Henry was backing you up. Ray couldn't believe you had betrayed us to Biosyn, and there was Henry defending you, talking about your brilliance."

"What were you doing at the time?"

"Telling Ray that he was in denial."

"Just like I'm doing now? Isn't it funny how history repeats itself?"

"And I was telling them you got the sentence you deserved."

Again, Muldoon wasn't sure why he was going in this direction with Nedry. Then he realized what it was. There's unfinished business between us. There were unresolved issues: he wanted answers to his questions. And he was damn sure he'd get them before Nedry escaped the island.

Nedry held Muldoon's glare. "I suppose I did, but I'm not going to finish serving it, not if I can help it." He stared ahead, imagining his life as a free man. "It's time for me to leave." He started the jeep and stopped again when Muldoon grabbed the steering wheel. "What the hell are you doing? Get off!"

"I need to know the truth, Dennis."

"What truth?"

"You know 'what truth'."

Nedry turned off the jeep and the rumbling silenced. "Oh, that…you want the abridged version?"

"No, I want the entire truth."

"About what?" Nedry sounded annoyed.

Muldoon stared at him, incredulous. "After all this time, you don't know what I'm talking about?"

"Hey, I'm no mind-reader. Here I am about to make my great escape and you stop me in my tracks because you want to hear 'the truth'. What's up with that?"

"Why are you leaving?"

"Why do you think I'm leaving? Isn't the answer obvious?"

Muldoon folded his arms across his chest.

"Do me a favor and don't give me the silent treatment," Nedry said, sighing. "Just hurry up and speak your mind. I have a boat to catch."

Muldoon finally let up. "I want answers to my questions—and I expect complete honesty."

Nedry relaxed in the driver's seat. "Ask away."

He had to ask—and he had to know. If he never asked, then he would never know. "Are you sorry for anything that's happened here?"

"Oh…that question…there are things I regret doing and there are things I'm not sorry for." He locked eyes with Muldoon. "Which do you want to hear first?"

"You decide."

"Fine then…I wouldn't go so far as to saying I'm sorry for this…I see it more as an explanation."

"And that is?"

"Why I betrayed John. On Sorna, you kept asking me—"

"And no smart-ass comments. I can do without the sarcasm."

"Fair enough." This time, Nedry averted his eyes from Muldoon's. "I betrayed him because of what he did. He overworked me beyond what my contract stated and wanted extreme changes made at the last minute—not minor system glitches—and it's true there were many computer bugs. I'm talking about a major overhaul. I worked in the dark for him the entire time because he never let on exactly what he needed the systems for and now he comes around saying he doesn't like the system I designed, that he wanted major changes."

"Okay…so…"

"So he didn't want to pay me. If I'm expected to do extra work, then you better believe I'm going to ask for an increase in salary—something to compensate for the extra time I'm putting in. He refused, so in turn, I refused to do what he wanted. Keep in mind that I had no idea that the systems I was designing were for this!" Nedry gestured towards Jurassic Park. "I had no idea it was for an amusement park lizard zoo."

Muldoon blinked. He was totally unaware of Nedry's side…he had always heard Hammond's point of view on the matter. "Go on."

"It didn't stop there. My clients were calling me, saying they received letters about me that said I was unreliable. I had worked very hard to build my reputation in my field, and because John wasn't getting what he wanted out of me, he was this close," Nedry paused and held up his left thumb and pointer finger very close together, "to derailing my career. He was threatening to file lawsuits against me, even though it was him who wasn't willing to pay me for my extra work. His side of the issue was that the changes should've been under the original contract."

"But they weren't?"

"Nope. I was forced to make the changes he wanted, while still paid that lousy salary. Screw that. I don't work for free. If I didn't make the changes he wanted, he would've taken me to court. "

It now dawned on Muldoon the desperation and anger Nedry must've felt. Anger…more like rage, Muldoon thought. Even though he still believed Nedry was wrong to betray the company—he could see why Nedry felt as he did. "He was blackmailing you..."

"Exactly. I was tired of the whole JP project and all the threats. It was beyond stressful and aggravating. Then Dodgson comes along and the rest is history. He offered me enough money that would beat my annual salary for the next ten years. One million point five—tax free! How could I not accept?"

"So you're not sorry about betraying Hammond."

"I didn't say I would apologize. I said I would explain myself."

"Answer the question," Muldoon demanded. "Are you sorry or not?"

Nedry shook his head. "No. I'm not sorry." His expression read: satisfied now? "I was wrong…I know that's what you want to hear. I was totally wrong for betraying John, but I'll be real with you: I'm not sorry because I needed the money he was holding back from me. He was threatening my career. What I did was wrong, but I would be lying if I were to tell you that I'm sorry for betraying him."

Muldoon nodded, digesting everything. He noticed that Nedry had repeated himself—probably to drive the point home. He took a step back, ready to let Nedry go on his way. It's not like he could really stop him from doing what he wanted.

"I didn't finish answering your question. See, a traitor's heart isn't as cold as you think. Where it concerns Henry, it might be."

"Do you think he'll come back?"

"Hard to say. Right now he doesn't realize the consequences of being a traitor."

Muldoon glanced at the lake in front of the visitor center. "And what are the consequences?"

"Aside from jail time, there are personal consequences. One of them is having no friends; no one to confide in. Who wants to hang out with a two-faced liar? Roland was right when he said a traitor is the loneliest of all men." Nedry rested his bandaged hand on the steering wheel. "I'm not having a pity party on myself. I know what I did and I have to live with the consequences."

"Where does Henry figure into this?"

"He's out there now with Dodgson and doesn't realize the big mistake he's made in leaving InGen. Lew is charismatic, but he's ruthless. Henry would've been better off staying with InGen and waiting patiently for the park to open or whatever it is he's looking for."

"Fame."

"Fame, fortune—whatever it is, if he knows he's wrong, he'll be too proud to admit it. Or he might be too ashamed."

"I can see that." Muldoon walked around the jeep so that he stood on the other side, closer to the lake in front of the visitor center. A light breeze blew around them as the sun dipped lower in the sky.

"When and if he decides to return, just accept him back. Don't go shooting him like you did me."

Muldoon smiled wryly. "I won't."

Nedry was silent and Muldoon figured he was done. I should've known he wouldn't fully answer my questions. Muldoon shrugged, disheartened. Why did he think Nedry would actually tell him what he wanted to hear?

"To get back to what you asked me…I am sorry for a lot of things…"

Muldoon had been staring at the lake, his back turned to Nedry. He turned around when he heard Nedry's voice trail off. Nedry stared at the steering wheel, concentrating hard. Muldoon was going to respond, but quickly silenced. He needed to hear what Nedry had to say. If he spoke now, Nedry would stop and never say a word about it ever again. Somehow, Muldoon knew that to be the case.

"I'm sorry I didn't leave Dodgson sooner. If I had, he wouldn't have been able to get the raptors—I should've left the same day he told us we had to get those disgusting lizards."

Muldoon was thoroughly shocked by what he was hearing. He couldn't comprehend it and yet…

"I really am sorry for what happened to you and John," Nedry murmured. "I'm sorry for everything that went down on this island. It was never my intention, the day I let the raptors out—" He stopped, stumbling with his words. "I never meant for you to get injured or for John to have a stroke and end up in the hospital. It's my fault he ended up there and stayed there for months. I hated working for John, but I didn't want to hurt him…"

An open bleeding wound in Muldoon's psyche slowly sealed shut. "If you felt this way the whole time…why didn't you say it?"

"Because no one would've believed me—especially you." Nedry looked directly at him now.

Muldoon felt as though a fifty-pound weight dropped on his stomach. He knew Nedry was right.

"I wouldn't expect you to believe me after everything I did here. I'm sarcastic, but I'm not stupid…but anyway…I'm sorry for all the bullshit I put everyone through, especially Ray and Dr. Sattler. They're good people."

Muldoon nodded. He had something to apologize for, as well. He didn't know if it would mean anything to Nedry, but it was worth a shot. "I'm sorry for what I said about you getting what you deserved in the cell. The beating…"

Nedry blinked. He knew what Muldoon referred to. "Thank you…you and George are the only ones…" He couldn't finish his statement and Muldoon knew he was touched by the apology.

Suddenly Muldoon had an idea. Where it came from, he didn't know, but he figured he'd try. "Why don't you stay here and help out? You know the park is severely understaffed."

Nedry threw him a puzzled look. He didn't believe his ears had heard right. Muldoon asking him to stay at Jurassic Park was akin to the moon turning green and purple. "I couldn't do that…it wouldn't be right. Besides, if I hang around here, the feds will throw you in jail for harboring a fugitive. I don't want that to happen, and I'm sure no one here does. You're a decent person, Robert. You don't belong in a cage."

"Thanks," Muldoon muttered.

"The park needs you here, not rotting away in a ten by eight. You know it's true. Hell, even I know it's true."

"So then turn yourself in. It's the right thing to do."

"Are you crazy?" Nedry looked horrified. "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," Muldoon said, evenly. "I'm saying the right thing to do would be to turn yourself over to the authorities."

Nedry shook his head. "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."

"Why?"

"Why would I want to? I'm tired, Robert."

"Tired of what?"

Nedry kept his eyes on the lake. "I'm tired of the system. I won't rehabilitate behind bars. On my own, yes; in a cramped cell, no. I don't want to wake up and have some screwball tell me when I can eat, when I can shower, and when I can breathe. I like making my own choices. "

"So you don't think incarceration is the answer?"

"Take it from me, it's not. For some inmates it is, depending on what they've done. If a man sets his house on fire, killing his entire family for no reason except to collect insurance, then lock 'em up for the rest of his life. It all depends. When I was locked up, most of the inmates I knew weren't sorry for what they've done. Incarceration doesn't equal remorse. Most of them are sorry they got caught, never mind the crime they committed or who it affected."

Muldoon nodded. He remembered Nedry's words at his sentence hearing. I'm sorry. Sorry I got caught.

"Being locked up just made me more bitter—whatever, I'm not going back."

"They'll search for you all over the country. You're only delaying the inevitable."

"Let them spend money searching for me. I'll delay my capture, fine with me. The more time between now and then, the better." He sat up in the seat and held up his bandaged hand where Harding had redressed the wounds from his half-healed broken fingers. "You see this?"

"I see it."

"The whole time the doctor examined my hand, that corrupt jack-ass Contreras kept the handcuffs on. Even when he removed them so that she could put the splints in place for my fingers, he threw a fit, talking about how I'm a prisoner and have no rights." Nedry hit the steering wheel with his bandaged hand. "Stupid pigs like Contreras think they're better than me even when they're worse. You get beaten for standing your ground and they still don't treat you like a human being. I'm tired of being kicked around—all because I made stupid choices in my life. Where are you going to run to when your fingers are broken, your nose is busted, and your eye is swollen shut? And they call that 'corrections'…" He leaned and spat a gob of saliva outside the jeep. "To hell with corrections."

"I'm sure you're not the only one who feels that way." Muldoon wasn't sure what to say; that was the only thing that came to his mind.

"I'm not. If I was telling this to the inmates on my cellblock in upstate California, I'd be preaching to the choir. Then there's people…we know who they are."

"John Hammond?"

"No, not John and not even Henry. I'm talking about Roland Tembo, Sonya Durant, George Baselton, and the granddaddy of them all, Lewis Dodgson. They belong in a ten by eight. Same with Lopez, that stupid jerk. They've committed their share of crimes, they're just lucky they didn't get caught."

Muldoon remained silent as he took this all in.

"I'm doing all the talking. You say something."

"So you're leaving then."

"So?"

"And you're sorry for what you said about Dr. Sattler that night in the cafeteria? When Dodgson was being crude?"

"I'm extremely sorry about that night. I hope she believes me…I tried speaking to her the other day about it...she gave me the cold shoulder…I dunno, I tried. I hate how Dodgson treated her, he's a slimy prick. Believe it or not, I have my boundaries. I have a shred of decency. That's why I apologized to her…or tried to anyway…"

"Why wouldn't she believe you?"

"Because of who I am. People respect you and want you around and people think of me as a selfish slob."

Muldoon switched the subject. "Running makes you look guilty."

"Why are you obsessed with me running from the law? If you feel that deeply about it, then call the cops and have them arrest me right now."

"I could do that. As a matter of fact, I should."

"And it doesn't make me look one way or the other. If anything, no matter where I run, my guilt stays with me…does that make sense?"

Muldoon raised his eyebrows. "It does."

"When did Ray say the boat was leaving?"

"Within the hour."

"Good." Nedry turned the ignition key and the jeep rumbled to life. "I better get going."

Muldoon was silent. He thought of everything that had happened from the moment he and Arnold caught Nedry red-handed at the east dock to this very moment.

"You think you can just pick up your bags and leave." He came around the vehicle and yanked open the door on the driver side, intending to pull Nedry out.

"I didn't say that."

"That's all you think about is YOU. You haven't learned a bloody thing!"

"What are you getting pissed off about?" Nedry reached over and slammed the door closed on the driver side. "Damn, if you never believe anything I say, at least believe that I'm sorry the hell I put you and John through. Is that too much to ask for?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do know," Nedry insisted. "I know George spoke to you about this. He told me himself."

Muldoon stepped back. He knew Nedry was right. Lawala had clarified where Nedry had truly stood when Dodgson gave the Biosyn team the assignment to capture a velociraptor. Awhile ago, Lopez had tried to convince Muldoon that Nedry was all for the assignment and that he had even "jumped on it right away". Muldoon eventually asked Lawala about what had really happened. Dennis was against it from the beginning and Lopez was in favor of it. He knew you hated the raptors because of what happened to Jophery. Right after Lawala had told him this, Muldoon knew all he needed to know. The fact that Nedry had remembered and even brought up Jophery's death was telling in itself. Nedry was telling the truth when he had told Muldoon that releasing the raptors was the worst mistake he had ever made. Muldoon was even shocked to find out how Nedry reacted after finding out that Hammond and him were injured. He was devastated, Lawala had told him. He didn't say it, but I could tell that he was.

With all this in mind, Muldoon knew he had to let go. Let go and try to forgive. He knew he would never forget everything that Nedry had done, but at the very least, he could try to forgive him. Let it go... Muldoon had to admit the thought of forgiving Nedry was foreign to him. It never even occurred to him to forgive Nedry for everything he had put InGen through. He never cared who he hurt, Muldoon thought, and he knew he was wrong for thinking that. Nedry cared to some degree, but he still wasn't one to beg for others' forgiveness. Muldoon was well aware of this...and also very much aware that Nedry was still Nedry in the end. Forgive him...release him from what he did, Muldoon thought. He briefly wondered if Nedry had forgave him and Arnold for the day they had caught him at the east dock. Muldoon shook his head. He didn't want to ask, nor did he want to know. He supposed Nedry forgave him and Arnold on some level, since he helped InGen defeat Biosyn. At the same time... Muldoon came to realize the idea of Nedry forgiving even himself would forever be a mystery, since he had mentioned that his guilt stays with him. For the time being, he decided to focus on forgiving Nedry. Let it go, Muldoon told himself again. Let it go... The more he repeated the phrase in his mind, the lighter he felt.

"Would you look at the bright side of things, for once?" Nedry asked, interrupting Muldoon's thoughts on forgiveness. "The raptors are gone. You don't have to stress about them anymore. John is walking again and the park will open one day to the public. I can picture the headlines: Jurassic Park—dinosaur theme park opens its doors to the world!"

"You sound optimistic."

"I am."

Muldoon sighed, exasperated.

"C'mon, John's a determined man. The man's in his seventies and still chases the buck. He does what everyone thinks is impossible. Look, he dreamed the place we're standing on right now. He found a way to bring extinct lizards back to life. That should tell you something."

"You're right." Muldoon cracked his knuckles. He took a step back away from the jeep when a slip of green paper in the passenger side caught his eye. "What's that?" he pointed into the jeep.

"My savings." Nedry patted his backpack.

"That's not your money. Give it back."

"Would you give it a rest? Geez, at this rate, I'll leave here by dawn."

"That's blood money. Dodgson paid you that money every time you caused trouble here."

"Fine. You want it; then here it is. I don't know why you're being so fussy, since you handed it to me weeks ago."

Nedry gave him the backpack and Muldoon snatched it.

"What were you going to do with the money?"

"It doesn't matter now since you have it. I was going to start my life over again."

"Start from scratch."

"I will. Don't worry about me; I got my cash stashed elsewhere." Nedry grinned as he fixed his rearview mirror. He folded the collar of his black trench coat and patted the pockets, making sure the bills he had packed away were still there. "Anything else you want to tell me? Or that you want me to tell you?"

Muldoon shook his head. "I've said everything I had to."

"You sure did! Sheesh, I hope I didn't miss my boat. Would you relax? I'll visit you," Nedry chuckled. "There's no need to shed tears."

"Still sarcastic, I see."

"And you're still uptight. Loosen up and live a little."

Nedry put the jeep in drive and pressed down on the gas pedal. He slowly drove away and was six feet away from Muldoon when he glanced at the rearview mirror. Muldoon stood to the side of the road. He appeared to be in deep thought and didn't want to be disturbed. Nedry sighed and put the jeep in reverse, driving back to where he stood. Muldoon had one hand in his pocket as though he were searching for spare change.

"You got something on your mind," Nedry said. "Spit it out."

Muldoon kept searching inside his pocket until his fingers closed on what he was looking for. He kept his hand hidden from Nedry's view. Then he cautiously stepped up to the jeep. "Do you finally feel free?"

Nedry stared face to face with the man whose testimony had sealed his fate in court over two years ago. Muldoon stared back at him. Nedry thought of the question he had been asked and realized he wondered the same about Muldoon. It wouldn't hurt to answer a question with a question…

"Do you?"

Neither man spoke.

Nedry put the jeep back in drive and drove down the path leading to the maintenance road. He didn't stop once or look behind him as he made a right turn onto the path that would lead him to the east dock.

Muldoon knew he would find the empty gas-powered jeep at the east dock…its inhabitant already making a trip to the mainland—and then to the States. Muldoon watched, never taking his eyes off the jeep. It bothered him that he hadn't been able to answer the question when Nedry reversed it back to him. Yet he knew the truth about what he felt. How ironic, he thought. He gets to leave a free man and I'm still here. Then again…I have help. I'm not here by myself anymore. Muldoon shrugged, frustrated. He didn't know what to think.

He pulled out the business card from his pocket. In tiny black font, a phone number and address were listed, in case he needed assistance in removing criminals from the island. He glanced at the Spanish name on the card: Antonio Contreras. It was the same business card Contreras gave him the night he returned to the island with Nedry. Now he stared at the business card wondering what he should do. He knew Contreras was locked up…if he called the police, someone else would come. It wouldn't be Contreras.

"Robert? Is everything okay?"

Muldoon turned around to see Ray Arnold and Gerry Harding behind him. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear them come from the visitor center.

"You let him leave the park…" Arnold said. He sounded confused, yet curious about Muldoon's decision. "Why?"

Muldoon shrugged again. Perhaps it was better this way. By letting Nedry leave the park, he also let him go. Muldoon knew he had to do it for his own sake. Somehow, he didn't think Arnold would understand or feel the same way. It was okay with Muldoon if Arnold didn't. Forgiving Nedry was his own personal decision, and it was not one that he expected others to do.

Aside from that, Muldoon appreciated Nedry's honesty in why he did what he did, and what he had risked and sacrificed in order to make amends to those he had wronged. Nedry had kept his promise and had set things right again for InGen after all the chaos he had created. Muldoon didn't know what he felt at that moment, but he knew what he had to do. He crumpled the card in his hand and tossed it into the lake. The white card floated briefly and then sank into the dark green water. Muldoon stared at the road that Nedry had driven on.

"Are you alright?" Harding asked again.

After a long moment of silence, Muldoon looked up. "I'm fine."

Arnold glanced in the same direction as Muldoon. "Whose side is he on anyway?" He wondered aloud.

"The side he's always been on," Muldoon said. "His own."

He walked up the steps to the visitor center. Arnold and Harding followed him inside as the sun set on Isla Nublar.

Another day had ended and night would begin soon. The natural order of life on Isla Nublar had prevailed. Life had begun anew and would continue onward. Overhead, the sky lit up in a brilliant and dazzling mix of purple and red splashes, and the island became peaceful and tranquil for both humans and dinosaurs for the first time in Jurassic Park.

The End

Acknowledgements

Wow! I can't believe the time has finally come to completely conclude this story. It's been a long time coming—years, actually. I'm happy it's complete, relieved I was able to finish writing and posting the entire story, and sad because I won't be writing what I loved writing for all these years. It's hard to let go after all this time. Now that the story is over, there are so much to say and so many people to thank.

Reign of Chaos (ROC) was and is truly a labor of love for me. I had written the ideas for it in 1995 when I was 14. They were brief sketches: Nedry releases the raptors to get back at Muldoon, Hammond gets hurt, Nedry and Muldoon hating each other, Nedry deciding to leave Biosyn when Dodgson decides he wants to take over InGen, Nedry thinking it's a good idea to warn InGen although Muldoon doesn't want to hear him out. I didn't expand on the ideas at the time. I had also written my first fanfiction about Jurassic Park earlier that same year. I didn't even know "fanfiction" was the term for the story about a movie I adored. In that story, Muldoon and Arnold catch Nedry in the act of delivering stolen embryos to a man at the east dock. I had also started a second fic about Nedry going to trial as continuation of the first story, but I never finished it. I kept all the fics and scrap paper where I jotted down my ideas.

Then in 2004, my friends and I were in New York City and happened to pass by a vendor selling used books. I had lost my copy of the Jurassic Park (JP) novel and hadn't read it or seen the movie in a long time. Although JP was my passion right after seeing it in theaters when I was 11, I had left it alone for years after writing my first fanfiction. That day, I brought the book for $3 and it reawakened my love for JP. I pulled out the ideas I had stashed away, including the first fanfic I had written. I decided I would flesh out my ideas and even rewrite my first fanfic as part of the story—just to see what would happen. I figured it's my story, and I could rework it now if I wanted to. Reign of Chaos is the finished product.

Writing ROC meant a lot to me for many reasons. Not only did it revive my love of Jurassic Park, it also broke my writing block that had lasted almost a year. After graduating college in 2003, I found it very hard to write. When expanding the ideas that I had written years ago, more ideas came. It was like a dam breaking—tons of ideas flooded my mind and I had to write them down to ensure I wouldn't forget them. I learned so much about writing, such as never throwing out anything you write. Even if what you first wrote wasn't that great, be it because you lacked experience, maturity, or anything—you can always rewrite it. You can always recycle what you have written and use it for other projects. Sometimes what you rewrite is far better than the original idea.

I also wrote a large part of ROC during 2004-2005. At that time, I was severely stressed out due to a job I worked at. Although I enjoyed working with the clientele (troubled youth), the management was very abusive. I was learning to separate the job from my personal life, which was very difficult back then. When I wrote the chapters, even if it was just the ideas, I could completely enter the world of JP and forget about the job stress. In fact, the idea of Dodgson rejecting Nedry's resignation was inspired from this job. A worker had attempted to resign and her letter of resignation had been rejected. Later on, I would experience the same situation. (I did resign regardless of what the boss said.) Other parts were personal. On this job, I learned what it felt like to be overworked and underappreciated. I realized why Dennis Nedry became disgruntled and how terrible it felt. Even the part where Arnold tells off Gennaro—I had wanted to say those exact words to a horrible supervisor: "why are you talking to me after treating me like crap?" I wasn't able to say those words to the supervisor, so I let Arnold say it. After that particular work experience, I never wanted to experience being a disgruntled employee again. So some parts of ROC were personal for me.

I've always loved JP for the characters. The dinosaurs were great, but the characters have always been the true treasure for me. I wanted to write a story that was centered on the characters, especially the minor characters—particularly the InGen staff. I've always favored Dennis Nedry and when writing this story, I wondered if the story's focus on him (and also Muldoon and Arnold, etc) would turn away potential readers. In the end, I decided not to worry about that, and write what I wished and stay true to my vision. Although I found other characters difficult to write (mainly Grant and Ellie), it is my hope that I gave them justice in this story. Plus, I've always wanted to see a love triangle with them and Malcolm, so I interweaved into the story as well. Lewis Dodgson…labeling him a "sociopath" is one thing. In time, I learned what it's like to actually experience an encounter with a sociopath and I will never forget it. Even the comic book characters, such as Lawala, Lopez, and Sonya—I put my own twist on them. My intention from the beginning was to show the relationships between the characters. Although JP is well-known for its groundbreaking special effects, it is the depth of the characters, their relationships, and interactions that have always stood out to me.

It goes without saying that I'm appreciative to Michael Crichton, Steven Spielberg, and the entire cast and crew of Jurassic Park—all three movies, although I tend to favor the first one the most. The second movie is okay to me and I don't care much for the third. Even so, I'm glad that these stories are out there for myself and others to enjoy. They truly put together one of my most memorable cinematic and reading experiences.

Inspiration can come from any source. For this story, ROC was inspired by the first two JP movies and a handful of characters from the third movie, "Set It Off", "Kill Bill Volumes I and II", an authority figure/character from both novels: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and "Fall Into Darkness" by Christopher Pike, comic books, WWE (wrestling), music from various sources, and so much more.

I want to take the time to acknowledge and thank family and friends who really made this writing possible. A writer is not an island—you don't write in isolation. A second pair of eyes reading your story can point out what works—and what doesn't work. Another writer can make suggestions that tighten the story, bringing it altogether, or even add another layer of depth. Some people on my thank you list may never read this story, but either way, they all played a part in making this story possible. I'm truly grateful for everyone mentioned below, and apologize in advance for anyone I might've forgotten. My special thank you's go to…

God – I want to thank God for giving me the joy of writing. Thank you, God, that I was able to start and finish my story, as well as completely post it in its entirety. Because the story was so long, I worried at times about what I would do if I couldn't completely post it. I'm very grateful that I have finally reached the end and especially grateful for the joy I received when writing this story. Thank you, God, for this awesome gift of writing, and also being able to share the story with others who can enjoy it.

Michael Crichton – Thank you for writing such an amazing story with a thoughtful storyline and characters that I loved reading and writing about. I saw the movie before I read your book, but I was so thrilled to find out there was a novel behind the awesome movie I had seen. Finding an actual dinosaur named in your honor was the best way to pay tribute to you and to thank you for writing Jurassic Park.

Mom – Thank you for encouraging me. When I was little and loved to read books, you once said to me, "you'll be an author one day." You spoke a wonderful possibility into my life and now I'm a writer.

Dad - Thank you for buying me and my friend, Qwynn, the novels written by Michael Crichton. I had no idea Jurassic Park was a novel until you brought them that day.

Qwynn – Thank you for telling me about Jurassic Park when we were kids. Little did I know that JP would become one of my favorite passions! I know I drove you up the wall with my JP ramblings, and I hope you can laugh at that now.

Godmommy Vivian – Thank you for taking me to see Jurassic Park in the movies. Seeing JP on the big screen was scary (well, for me, it was) and funny for you. I will always remember and cherish that experience.

Kimberly – Thank you for reading my very first fanfiction and for your constructive feedback. I still remember walking to junior high school (now called "middle school") while you read it and shared with me your thoughts about the story.

Tiara – Thank you for all your encouragement, especially when I doubted myself at certain parts when writing ROC. Thank you for your suggestion of a second mole/traitor—I was able to take that idea and expand on it so that it tied in with the original story. I credit you for coming up with the idea of a second traitor. Thanks for your help on a particular Ellie/Grant scene that I had difficulty with. Your suggestions were very helpful.

Erin – Thank you for your support when writing this story. You love minor characters just as I do, and we always have a great time discussing our writing ideas. I know it's been years, but our early emails where we shared our thoughts about our stories was very helpful. You also helped me to see Grant differently, although he's not one of my personal favorites. Thank you for believing in my story.

Adrienne – Thank you for taking the time to read, beta, and edit some ROC chapters for me. Thank you for your sense of humor and helping me with sentence structure. You know I tend to write "he did this…" and "he did that…". You pointed out what worked and didn't work in the story—thank you for giving your time to my writing. (And yes, I had dinosaurs in my dinosaur story, just as I planned!)

Steve – Thank you for asking me questions that forced me to think about what I was writing. You pointed out I was writing about JP characters that had died in the book and film canon, and had asked me when does this story take place? I knew ROC would be Alternate Universe (AU), but your thoughts helped me to form the idea of having this story take place as if Nedry had succeeded in stealing and dropping off they embryos.

David – Thank you for always listening to me ramble with love about writing and fanfiction. Thank you for showing me Kill Bill on the night that I wanted to be alone writing ROC.

Dana – Thank you for joking with me about how I must go back to finishing my other fanfiction when I finally get done with ROC. Thank you for understanding my love of writing fanfiction.

Tanisha – Thank you for encouraging me to finish ROC, especially when I got stuck at several moments. I'll always remember when I came to your house and told you I finally finished the story, you ran around my car with my Kill Bill poster. Now that I finished ROC, I had earned my poster!

Danny (Mr. W.) – Thank you for understanding and not taking it personal the day I chose to stay home and work on "The Inmates Take Over the Asylum" chapter. I was able to finish writing that chapter and I thank you for that.

Finally, thank you to all the readers and reviewers. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. This story is very lengthy and detailed, and it took a long time—6 years—to completely post it. Thank you for your patience and for staying with the story, even when it would take months to update it. It truly means a lot to me. I sincerely hope that the time you spent reading my story was time well spent and worthwhile for all of you. I also appreciate those who took the time to leave a review or message me. I greatly value your feedback. Whenever I write, I like to know what worked and didn't work, what stood out to the readers, the readers' reactions—I value all of this. (The marriage proposals were great too; they made me smile.) I also welcome constructive criticism and suggestions. Sometimes when I write, I become blind to certain things because I know what I want to show in my story. However, readers' thoughts are incredibly thought-provoking, especially if I neglected to explain certain things adequately or if other parts the story can be explored—provided it doesn't take me completely from the story I wanted to tell. Just as it meant so much for me to write this story, it really brightens my day to know that readers greatly enjoyed reading it. It is a huge compliment to know this story meant as much to the readers as it did to the writer.

In closing, I hope to write and finish more Jurassic Park fanfiction. Working on Reign of Chaos has been an incredible emotional journey. Thank you, everyone, for making it superb and memorable. God bless!

-Sassy Lil Scorpio

Written: 1995/May 2004-August 2007
Posted: March 2006-March 2012