Beta Readers: Khalthar and Evilservant1094
Chapter 9: Hello World
"It's been three days since we've closed the T-Rex paddock viewing stations. The visitors are getting antsy about not being able to see one of our main attractions. I'm going to be re-opening it today," Claire spoke towards the speaker phone on her desk.
"What!? No!" Tim exclaimed from the other side of the phone call. "I doubt Rexy or Ron are ready to have human viewers. Even with me being there at the feedings Rexy is very defensive about anything foreign being near Ron. If a whole crowd of people were in the viewing log, Rexy would mostly try to attack them. The caretaker's vantage stations shouldn't be a problem since they're so far away, but that viewing log is close enough for her to attack if she feels Prince is being threatened. In fact, I will almost guarantee she will feel threatened."
"This isn't up for debate Mr. Murphy," Claire said calmly in a superior tone. She confidently leaned back in her office chair looking out the window. Outside the window dawn had just come over the horizon. A sliver of the sun was casting its first light on to the island. "Your concern is noted, but we must reopen the T-Rex paddock to the visitors."
"And I'm telling you that what you're proposing to do isn't safe. For Rexy, Ron or the public. Despite the CC employees saying she's a sweetheart. That is only towards Ron. To everything else she is hostile and even violent towards. She even attacked the feeder pad yesterday."
"I'm well of aware of Rexy's recent vandalism. Also, the paddock and viewing station were purposefully designed for the asset. Designed specifically to withstand any harm she wished to impose upon the facilities," Claire explained. "Nothing will go wrong, I assure you."
"Your assurance doesn't mean shit," Tim harshly said, suddenly stepping out of his normal politeness. "Do you want me to invite Ray in on this call?"
"No, that won't be necessary Mr. Mur…" Claire tried to stop Tim in a slight panic when Tim mentioned the Chief Engineer.
"Hey Tim, what are you calling me for at this god awful hour?" Ray's recently awoken voice came through the speaker phone. Claire swallowed hard. Tim had just brought in the big guns. This conversation dragged on too long, and now she was fully expecting to lose this argument.
"Morning Ray, sorry to get you up this early," Tim said politely. "You're in a three-way call with Ms. Dearing."
"Oh?"
"Good morning Mr. Arnold," Claire said warmly, not wanting to start the day with pissing off Jurassic World's Chief Engineer.
"So what is this about," Ray yawned out.
"Ms. Dearing wants to allow the public back into the viewing station for the T-Rex paddock. I've been telling her that Rexy is currently not in the mood for any park visitors. However, she assures me that, and I quote, nothing will go wrong."
There was silence on the line that felt most foreboding.
"Are you kidding me?" Ray asked in disbelief.
"No," Tim stated flatly.
There was a shared sentiment between all the Jurassic Park survivors. You never admit or even say that nothing will go wrong. You can do your best at everything, but something will always go wrong. That little something could then snow ball into a bigger something. Which would then continue spilling downhill out of control until it went well beyond the worst-case scenario imagined.
"Little girl," Ray growled out in restrained anger. Claire had to stop herself from reflexively gulping. "Rexy is the second most dangerous creature on this island. Do you know why she is not the first? Because we humans are here on the same island. Humans are the most dangerous creatures in the world. Humans are dangerous for an infinite number of reasons. However, the main reason as to why humans are so dangerous is because they can be. So. Damned. Dumb.
"Right now, the T-Rex caretaker is saying that Queen and Prince aren't ready for visitors. Rexy is a very beautiful creature that Tim has spent the last five years working around and learning to understand. He is currently more qualified than anyone else on the planet to determine her current behavior and temperament.
"While everything on this island was built and designed with the worst-case scenario in mind." Ray's voice dropped an octave to a threatening, dangerous and foreboding tone. "Shit happens. Life finds away. Chaos rules supreme. Control is an illusion. If you can't recognize that we are constantly balancing on the razor's edge here at Jurassic World. You don't deserve to be in charge."
"While that was very impressive speech Mr. Arnold. I am the one who ultimately makes the call. The decision has been made," Claire hung up before she could be intimidated any further.
"She is going to get us all killed," Tim stated with certainty.
"Not if we kill her first," Ray responded.
"Ray," Tim was almost aghast, then pondered the thought. "I am the caretaker for one of largest carnivores on the island. It would easy to get rid of the body."
"Yeah, I was thinking more of giving her swimming lessons with the mosasaur. They don't send in the cleaning staff very often, so it's more likely they won't find any left behind scraps or evidence."
"If there are any scraps left behind. I've seen the way the mosasaur eats everything in just one bite," Tim let out an exhausted sigh. "Ray, what am I going to do? Rexy and Ron aren't ready for their debut."
"I don't know Tim," Ray replied with an exhausted sigh of his own. "I'm sorry that I didn't design the T-rex viewing log with one way glass."
"It's alright. I remember we were more concerned about the strength of the glass. How am I going to deal with this?" Tim thought about it. The viewing log that looked over the feeding area had two-way glass. Luckily the viewing log had sound dampening so that meant no matter how noisy the crowd, Rexy heard nothing. So this meant Rexy could see, but not hear the crowd watching her. It would have been perfect if they had found a glass manufacturer that made one-way glass that met their strength specifications.
She had attacked the log a couple of times when Jurassic World had first opened. The crowd watching her would usually move around so that would attract her attention. People also forgot to turn off their camera's flash. Despite signs posted leading in and on either side of the viewing window. She had learned she couldn't break through the glass and steel structure, so she hadn't attacked the viewing log in years.
Now with the introduction of Prince. She was sure to try her hardest to break the viewing glass. If only…
"Hey, Ray?" Tim started, still pondering his idea.
"Yeah?"
"How many favors do Vic, Katashi and the whole park security department owe you?"
"For both of them, quite a few actually," Ray admitted.
"Do you think you can swing it that they assign about…ten guys from the ACU all decked out in their gear for the rest of the week?"
"You seriously think Rexy is going to break out?" Ray asked a little bit afraid.
"It's certainly possible, but actually I was thinking about using the ACU more as crowd control."
Melissa Miller, or Melissa Maranda Miller when her mother wanted her attention, or Missa to her snot-nosed younger brother, or Lisa to her friends in the popular cliché in high school.
Was absolutely bored out of her mind. As well as agitated and on the lesser side of angry.
Now, one would think that a vacation trip to the one and only Jurassic World would be anything but boring. However, Melissa didn't do dinosaurs. Rather it wasn't one of her interests as a know-it-all teenager.
Instead, that lame fascination with giant lizards that had been dead for over sixty-five million years. Belong to her afore mentioned snot-nosed younger brother, Matthew.
Or Matthew Marvin Miller before their mother's scolding, or simply Matt to his classmates in elementary school, or more commonly called 'Phew' by her. Trust Melissa, her little brother has the worst B.O. ever. Even more than the whole varsity football team after a hard won game.
"Come on! Come on! We're going to miss it!" Matthew eagerly said while pulling older sister arm. Melissa simply let her little brother pull her to where he wanted to go with one hand. While with the other she was texting her friends back home on her smartphone. Thank the heavens that the dinosaur island had 5G wireless, or else she would have thrown herself into one of the dinosaur enclosures for a probably pretty painful death.
"Where are you taking us Phew?" Melissa sighed with disinterest as she tapped at her smart phone.
"They just reopened the T-Rex viewing station after maintenance!" Matthew answered, continuing to pull her anchor of a sister along. "This is our last day here!"
'Thank heaven!' Melissa thought.
"I mean we've seen every dinosaur at least three times- "
'I know.'
"- already and been to the exhibits and museums probably two times each."
'I Know.'
"Hey did you remember they have a new river boat ride?"
'Yeeeessssss,' Melissa inwardly groaned.
"We must have gone on that at least five times," Matthew laughed.
'Six, you little turd,' Melissa nearly snarled aloud.
"And that brontosaurus burger place is great. We've eaten there like all the time."
'Every. Single. Meal. I will never eat a hamburger or fries for the rest of my life.'
"You're the best big sister ever Missa!"
'I better be, because I haven't strangled you to death yet.' Melissa let out a sigh to release the tension. 'Eyes on the prize Melissa, eyes on the prize. Mom and dad are reliving their honeymoon in the Caribbean. You are just the unpaid babysitter while they're away hopefully not making another baby for you to sit. Just survive the little terror for a little longer and dad promised you'd get a car when you turned sixteen.'
"Missa, we're here!" Melissa looked up from her phone to see a massive wall. The wall was made of stylized concrete painted to look like massive twelve foot diameter giant sequoia trunks tightly linked together to form a barrier. Over the top of the wall she could see the tops of the natural forest beyond. The entrance was hidden from sight by a souvenir booth and several large signs advertising the resurrected prehistoric tyrant.
"Come on we got to hurry if we want to get a good spot!"
'Yes the first row of seats are guaranteed to be a splash zone. Just like the mosasaur, except this time it will be blood instead of sea water.'
"What the?" As they drew closer to where they could see the actual entrance. There appeared to be a slow moving line to get in. That wasn't what was attention catching though. What made Matthew vocalize his surprise were the two intimidating men guarding the entrance.
Dressed up in what appeared to be police S.W.A.T. gear with a small hint of lion zookeeper. They had a gun of some sort slung over their shoulder by a strap. Hanging from their belt looked to be a yellow and black striped billy club just a few inches short of a full size major league baseball bat. The two metal prongs coming out of the end clearly identified it as a taser baton. A very, very powerful taser baton.
As the brother and sister got into line the younger of the two kept leaning outward to scout out the front of the line. The two guards seemed to speak with each park guest individually before being allowed to enter the T-rex exhibit.
The line moved far too slow for the pre-teen dinosaur enthusiast. The crescendo of excitement that had filled the young boy with enough energy to easily drag his older sister through the amusement park's pathways soon transferred into impatience. To distract himself Matthew resorted to counting the seconds between each step he took closer to the entrance. Then estimating how long it would take until he was finally at the front of the line.
Leaning out of the line to look ahead for what seemed for the hundredth time. Just like before, his reconnoitering revealed no new information. Only that the guards stopped, spoke with and then allowed the park guest to enter on an individual basis.
"What do you thinks going on?" Matthew finally asked his older, wiser and far more experienced older sister.
Glancing up from her smartphone screen with disinterest at her new surroundings Melissa gauged the situation before returning her attention to her phone. "Don't know looks like a checkpoint or something."
"Checkpoint?" Matthew questioned not fully grasping at what his sister was referring to.
"You're an idiot Phew," Melissa rolled her eyes at her idiot younger brother. "Think of when we got to the airport back home before flying down to Costa Rica. The TSA checkpoint, we went through before entering the terminal. Checking the ID cards, the airlines tickets, the carry-ons , metal detector, body scanner, etcetera…"
"But all that is supposed to stop terrorists and bad people from getting on to airplanes. Why would they need a checkpoint here? *GASP* Do you think there are terrorists trying to steal the T-rex?" Matthew asked alarmed.
"Phew, you really are an idiot," Melissa rolled her eyes again. "Just shut up an' wait and don't bother me."
It was Matthew's turn to roll his eyes at his sister, but Melissa was thankful that her little brother did at least follow her instructions. About twenty silent minutes later the brother and sister finally arrived at the front.
"Can I please see your park visitor pass?" the ACU guard asked in neutral tone. Matthew and Melissa held out the ID card attached to a lanyard around their necks. The ACU guard quickly held out a scanner, swiping it over the two visitor passes. Followed by two dings of a bell that the IDs and been logged. "Alright."
Immediately Matthew moved to go inside, but a strong hand fell on his shoulder.
"Hold on there kid," the ACU guard said pulling the boy back by the shoulder until Matthew was standing in front of the ACU guard again with his sister. "Now pay attention and listen closely…miss, please put away the phone."
Melissa who had been glued to her phone the entire time looked up quickly to glare as if she had been greatly offended by the ACU guard. She was about to retort, but a quick pull of her arm and a pleading look from her brother made her quickly relent.
"Thank you, now please pay close attention. There have been some recent changes to the T-rex exhibit. You are to follow all instruction plaques displayed on the walls and immediately follow all directions of the Jurassic World staff inside. First and second among these instructions are for you to remain completely still while at the viewing window while the T-rex is present. And," the ACU guard stressed. "To have all recording devices hands off and put away."
"But…" Matthew wanted to protest, holding up his own camera.
The ACU guard cut off the boy as he continued. "That includes phones, cameras and all other devices that may produce a flash or bright light when recording. Jurassic World will make recordings and photos available of your visit. I need verbal confirmation that you can and will comply with these instructions before you enter. Do you understand and will you comply?"
"Yes," Matthew answered deflated, already tucking his camera away into his backpack.
"Miss, do you understand and will you comply?...Miss?"
"Whatever," Melissa said in a disrespectful and annoyed tone only a teenager could produce.
"I need a yes or no answer Miss," the ACU guard said patiently.
"Fine," Melissa whined in abject admission, "yes, I do understand and I will comply." The ACU guard looked a little harder at the park visitor, trying to stress the importance of these instructions to the belligerent at the teenage girl. Seeing the hard look she was receiving, Melissa stared back. Retorting with a discourteous, "What? Can we go in now?"
The ACU guard held Melissa's gaze for a few seconds before lowering to point at the phone in her hand. Melissa preformed the patented teenager eye-roll with loud sigh, while she tucked her phone into her pocket. "There happy now?"
"Failure to follow instructions will result in your party's immediate expulsion from Jurassic World. You may now go inside, have a nice day," the guard waved them inside. Melissa wanted to have the last word, but Matthew quickly grabbed her arm pulling dragging her inside before she could give the ACU guard a hard time.
Inside the pair were soon directed where to sit by another pair of ACU members in full dinosaur-riot-gear. Looking forward there was a large window looking out over a small clearing with the boundary of a dense forest beyond. With nothing better to do, Melissa slouched in her chair staring straight ahead. While Matthew's head actively swiveled to and fro looking at even the minutest movement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, can I please ask you to settle down," a voice over the intercom loud speakers announced. "My name is Tim Murphy and I am the Tyrannosaurus Rex caretaker. I'd like to welcome you all to Jurassic Park and to the T-Rex paddock viewing station. Now before our park's main attraction arrives I would like to begin by drawing your attention to the placard sign on the walls and columns around you." Like a bunch of lemmings the park visitor's heads all turned to look at the signs mentioned.
"On these signs are some very important rules I need all of you to follow. If you do not abide by these rules you'll be immediately escorted to docks and put on the next boat leaving the island without a refund to your admission ticket, hotel rooms or any reservations you may have. These rules are meant to keep you and the dinosaurs safe from harm."
"Before entering one of the professional ACU gentlemen at the entrance let you in after verbally agreeing to these rules. Now I'm going to read them aloud so please follow along. Number One, Please keep all movement to a minimum. The T-rex's vision is attracted to…" And this is when Melissa tuned out the voice of Tim Murphy, T-Rex caretaker, on the intercom.
With practiced skill and experience Melissa slid her smartphone out of her pocket. With the same principle of hiding the electronic device under her desk during class at high school. Melissa held it so that its vision was hidden from the four or so ACU guards standing around the seated park visitors. The only people that could possibly see what she was doing were the people seated on either side, and maybe behind her. Reopening her messaging application she made sure to mute the sound before responding to her friends back home.
\Lisa, Lisa are you there?\
\OMG! The dinos go Lisa!\
\NOOOO!\
\RIP\
[I'm still here u idiots. Lol.]
\Lisa!? OMG, u r alive!\
\Thank Buddah!\
\Or we're now taking to a Raptor!\
\You cleaver girl.\
[Shut up, geez how are you morons my friends.]
\U luv us, admit it.\
[Whatever]
\Where did you go?\
[Park Gestapo wanted me to put away my phone]
\Why?\
\Some dinosaur sensitive to wireless signals?\
\No, that's just stupid.\
[They just have these stupid rules or whatever. I don't care.]
\So you're breaking the rules right now. Naughty girl.\
\Bad girl\
[That's me.]
\So what's happening?\
[Waiting for some dinosaur to show up. Ranger Rick is giving a lecture while we wait.]
\Lame\
*thud*
[Hold on]
Melissa sudden felt the strong vibrations of something large watching approaching. The crowd of seated park visitors all started talking, but none moved to point at what was making the small earthquakes. Then out of the corner of her she saw it.
\Lisa what's going on?\
\Hey you still there?\
\OMG! They got her for real this time!\
\RIP.\
[You're all a bunch of morons]
\You're alive!\
\Thank black Jesus!\
\What's going on?\
[The lame dinosaur finally showed up]
\What's it doin'?\
[Nothing jus' walkin' round]
\Boring.\
\Agreed\
\You know that place would be cooler if they made the dinosaurs fight each other\
\Yeah!\
\Dino Fight Club!\
\That would still be really boring because Godzilla would always win.\
\Idiot, Godzilla isn't a dinosaur\
\Yeah, and what are you talking about King Kong would win.\
[Nerds]
\I'd prefer culturally informed on science fiction references\
\Godzilla is fiction?\
\OMG, you are so blond!\
"missa"
\Hey, don't hate\
[It ain't hate. Just continued proof of the stereotype.]
\Ugh\
\lol\
\I hate u\
\Kisses\
\Hugs\
"Missa."
\Fine\
\So is anyone actually doing anything fun\
\No\
\Just lifeguarding at the public pool\
[You already know what I'm doing]
\I'm thinking about going shopping\
\What's stopping you\
\My evil twin has the our car\
"Missa," this time Melissa felt a sharp jab in her ribs.
"Ow, what?"
"Look," Matthew told his little sister, while remaining stock still while pointing ahead.
\You could always hide the car keys\
\Yeah, but then our parent would get mad\
[OMG! There is a baby T-rex!]
\What?\
\So?\
\Is it cute?\
[In a lizard pitbull sort of way yeah]
\What's it doing\
[Looks like mama Rexy just killed a goat and…]
\what?\
\Don't leave us hanging\
[Ew.]
\More words girl\
[It's...]
\Words\
\Use the words, Luke\
\Last Jedi was such a bomb
\Lisa, come on don't leave us in the dark\
\Original trilogy all the way\
\Nerd\
[Okay, just had to watch what was going on real quick. So mama Rex is feeding the baby her barf]
\GROSS!\
\Nasty!\
\Your parents really paid money for you to go see dinosaurs eating each other's barf\
[Like the same way birds do. The baby is actually climbing into the mama's mouth. It's kind of weird, but I can't look away. I'm just waiting for the mama to snap her jaws shut and eat the little guy. Btw, the parents paid the tickets for my brother. I'm just the unpaid babysitter. I'm getting a car out of the deal]
\Wow really\
\That's kind of cool\
\Photos. Send photos.\
"Missa what are you doing you're not supposed to…"
Immediately after the request for photos was read, Melissa's muscle memory automatically kicked in. Pressing the correct series of buttons and icons, the camera application was displayed. Her arms were already raised with the smartphone in hand, pointed toward the T-rex duo. Matthew didn't have time to voice his warning, before there was a loud digital camera shutter sound.
Everyone froze as the whole inside of the viewing station was lit up as if struck by a blinding bolt of lightning. Suddenly followed by a second camera flash and camera shutter sound when Melissa saw that the mama T-rex turn directly towards her. Providing the perfect photo opportunity.
"RRAAAAWWWWRRR"
The inside of the viewing station exploded into panic as the large predator charged.
The ACU members were quickly shouting and waving orders to the park visitors.
The park visitors like a herd of panicked lemmings bounced off one another struggling to run to the nearest exit. Their panic only grew when the large spread jaws, pounding foot falls and earth shattering roar was just outside the viewing window.
The adult Tyrannosaurus Rex slammed its full body weight into the viewing window; jaws first. There was a startling sound of glass cracking that caused the panicked crowd to be further stirred into freaked out frenzy.
The ACU members took charge of the situation by physical grabbing, pointing towards the nearest exit and shouting "GO!" into each visitor's ear. As the herd of lemmings figured out where to go, the viewing booth quickly emptied. As an angered T-rex roared and bashed against the glass window.
The flood of visitors and loud noises coming from the T-rex paddock caused panic to become infections to the people simply walking by on the main thoroughfare. Thinking that the ancient predator had broken free of its cage, visitors started heading to the emergency shelters.
"You!" Melissa caught up in the middle of the stampede was suddenly gripped by the arm.
"Hey, that's my sister!"
"Then you're coming too!" Another hand shot out to grab Matthew.
In a blur of passageways and corridors that left the brother and sister dizzy, they quickly found themselves roughly pushed into a pair of seats.
It took a few long minutes for both of them catch their breath. Their rapidly beating hearts began to slow and their wide eyes began to relax. Taking long, slow breaths they eventually leaned back into the chairs they were sitting in. Blinking a few times they took in their new surroundings.
They were in some sort of waiting room. There was a strong smell of sea water and the muffled sound of crashing waves somewhere nearby. A single ACU member stood before them with a smoldering gaze.
"W-What's going on?" Matthew asked after finally finding his voice.
"You broke the rules by taking a photo with the flash still on; twice. Resulting in Rexy charging the viewing station, causing the other people in said viewing station to panic, then stampede out of the T-rex exhibit, instigating a general panic throughout the park. You are being sent home on the next boat, until then you are going to wait here."
There was silence as the whole situation and series of events came into focus.
Matthew slowly turned looking at his older sibling. The single person that had ignited this mess and person responsible for them being sent home.
"You are the worst sister in the entire world."
"You're the best mom ever!" the infant Tyrannosaur happily chirped as he danced around his protector's feet.
"I do my best," Rexy responded her chest swelling with pride. Her stride and posture became more regal. She raised her head higher and strode forward with confidence as her little mwana continued to compliment and praise her.
"Did you see how those humans fled in terror?! Ha! I bet they'll think again before coming back." Rexy's toothy smile widened.
"Ow," Rexy said in surprise.
"What is it? What's wrong?" the infant's sudden excitement turned to concern.
"Just, a little jaw pain, nothing to worthy about," Rexy said to dissuade any concerns.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'll be fine, my little Ron."
'She probably chipped a tooth,' Ron thought to himself. It was the whole situation with the goat feeder all over again. Except this time she had a running start. When Rexy had slammed her open jaws into the glass window of the viewing station. Ron could feel the impact through the ground all the way from his hiding spot in the ferned tree-line. A good hundred, maybe almost two hundred, feet away.
'I wonder if I'm automatically enrolled in her same dental plan,' the infant thought looking up at the older dinosaur's surprisingly white smile. He was surprised he hadn't noticed before. Since he had been crawling inside her jaws. 'For a twenty-five something year old dinosaur, she has some pretty good teeth.'
The Control Center had an above normal buzz of activity. The 'stampede incident' as it had been named was over, but the backlash was still far from over. Trip and fall lawyers were calling on the behalf of park visitors injured during the incident non-stop. The customer service phone lines and personnel were overwhelmed and the callers on hold had an estimated two hour wait time.
To nip the spreading panic at the bud, Chief Engineer John Raymond "Ray" Arnold quickly activated the park wide announcement system. Without any predetermined statement or officially approved proclamation, Ray grabbed the microphone.
"Alright everyone listen up! This is Chief Engineer John Raymond "Ray" Arnold in the Jurassic World Command Center talking to the panicked mother f*BEEEP* running around the T-Rex paddock! calm the *BEEEP* down!"
The brash announcement, delivered by and equally brash voice had the desired affect almost immediately. It took a few seconds for the computer to come up with an approximate translation in languages other than English, which sounded like Ray in the same commanding voice. The crisis was already over by the time Claire Dearing had made her way down to the CC.
When the Jurassic World Operations Manager had finally arrived at the CC she was greeted by to very heated stares. One being from Chief Arnold, a real cigarette between his lips with a wisp of smoke trailing upwards. His prosthetic arm was still resting on his shoulder with his other hand resting on his hip. The second was Tim Murphy, Tyrannosaurus Rex caretaker, arms crossed over his chest. Both of them were in a pose reminiscent of a parent about to give a child a scolding.
"Ms. Dearing how nice of you to join us," Ray said puffing on his cigarette.
"What's the situation Chief Arnold?"
"There was a panic caused by Rexy charging the viewing station in her paddock," Tim instead responded. "About fifty visitors stampeded on to the main promenade thinking Rexy was hot on their heels. The fifty running and screaming visitors caused others to panic. Luckily the CC was monitoring the situation and Ray made an announcement that luckily stopped anything from going further."
"Yes, I heard that over the loud speaker."
"Yes, what you haven't heard are the phones ringing off their cradles from all the blood sucking lawyers of the people that were injured," Ray said in an almost threatening tone.
"Injured?" Claire's mind began to panic. This would be very bad PR, there will be lost revenue, this could cause the park to shut down.
"Yes, injured," Ray took a long draw from his cigarette before continuing. "Mostly small cuts, bumps and bruises. Luckily there were no trampled grandmas or young children. There is the report of a single heart attack, but our EMTs were on sight in a matter of minutes. The visitor is being transported by helicopter to the mainland for recovery and observation. Overall the staff preformed admirably."
"Thank God," Tim did not say this in a cheerful, relieved or thankful tone that was commonly associated with the phrase.
"Indeed," Ray agreed with his counterpart. Both men's gaze did not waver as they scrutinized their Operations Manager.
"Well, uhm," Claire began to retreat. "If everything is under control I have some… some uhm, paper work I need to get back to."
"I would recommend coordinating with the public relations department as well as legal," Ray strongly indorsed. "The after effects will need your immediate attention."
"Of- of course, right away," Claire quickly exited the CC, fleeing to her office.
"I didn't get to tell her I told you so," Tim commented, making both men break out into a grin.
Next Chapter: Date Unknown
A/N: That's all for now folk. Hope you enjoyed and sorry about the wait. Summer has spring and summer have gotten real busy for me and I haven't had a whole lot of time to work on this story or any of my others. I want to work on the next chapter, but…busy. I've written down my idea for the next chapter so I won't forget, but I don't know when I'll get down to writing. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Now I want to point out something before I close. During the scene were Melissa was texting with her friends she called the ACU the 'Park Gestapo'. Now in today's American culture, using a reference to the Nazi party and Hitler are very common place. You can't look at the US media without seeing someone drawing a comparison between a modern person and/or people to what many believe is history's worst example of humanity.
I personally don't like this at all. In fact, I would go as far as to say I hate it when people make the 'worse than Hitler' accusation. It's lazy, hypercritical and 99.8 percent of the time false. However, this accusation is now a part of our lexicon; unfortunately. I would encourage all of you educate yourselves and stop the use of terms and phrases involving Nazis and Hitler if possible.
But Saber, you left that phrase in your story. Even after editing and all that. If you hate it so much, why use it?
Immersing myself in my writing I could think of a couple of replacements, but they didn't represent the uneducated, stupid, inattentive, US teenager character of Melissa Miller in full. This is my social commentary and activism for the month. Deal with it.
And unfortunately…I'm still going to call any editors or beta-reader a 'Grammar Nazi' so…damn it. Do way I say people! Don't say what I say! Or … Don't say the things I say, even though I say them…But tell people to not say Nazi-Hitler accusations...I'm ranting now, and all that sounded better in my head.
Beta Reader's note: Someone (not going to mention any names) is a wanna-be Nazi Fascist! (Nazis were Socialists NOT Fascists! So… NYAH!)
Shut up! I told you to keep my ambitions and plans of world domination a secret!
On another note I'm looking for a new beta-reader. ;) (not really) Until next time people.