You Crazy Son of a Bitch | Ian Malcolm Fanfic

Chapter Nine : System Restart

The air is thick with tension as we all wait around a large computer system. Ian and I a distance away as we have been given explicit orders by Ellie to rest. Ian once again on a large table where he was yesterday, having been moved back for 'better support' for his leg, while I am on the couch I was placed by Ellie last night. Luckily we are still close to one another, which puts me in a bit of ease. I am unable to see a thing as Ellie and John are crowding around Ray Arnold, the chief engineer of Jurassic Park. He sits at the computer terminal and looks like a mess as he doggedly sorts through the computer system's lines of code. One. By one. By one. John looks over his shoulder, his glasses illuminated with the blips of code going over the computer monitor, when he says something that I am unable to hear.

"No, no, no, that's crazy. You're out of your mind." Mr. Arnold responds loudly, turning in his swivel chair to look at John, now turning to Ellie, "He's absolutely out of his mind."

"Well, wait a minute. What exactly does this mean?" Ellie inquires.

"What are you guys talking about?" I look to John for answers, but he is too involved in the conversation to notice my question. I look at Ian for answers but he just shrugs, also unable to hear the suggestion.

"We're talking about a calculated risk, my dear, which is about the only option left to us." John explains, looking between Ellie and Mr. Arnold, "We will never find the command that Nedry used. He's covered his tracks far too well. I think it's obvious now he's not coming back. So, shutting down the system--"

"I won't do it.' Mr. Arnold states, folding his arms in front of his chest in defiance, "You'll have to get somebody else, because I will not."

"Wait, won't that wipe every database?" I ask, everyone's attention now turned to me, "It might mess up all of the gates if we do that. I thought that power was only out to part of the park. If we shut down everything, it could release more of the animals into the park." Muldoon catches my eye, fear living in them as he realizes that I am referring to the raptor paddock.

"Shutting down the system is the only way to wipe out everything that Nedry did, Lynette." John tells me before turning back to Mr. Arnold, now addressing him, "Now, as I understand it, all the systems will then come back on in their original start-up mode, correct?"

"Theoretically, yes, but we've never shut down the entire system before. It may not come back on at all." Mr. Arnold replies, "Lynette could be right as well. It could let more assets out of the cages, which would make it even more dangerous than it already is here."

"Would we get back the phones back?" Ellie asks hopefully.

"Yes, again, in theory." Mr. Arnold states, more irritated.

"What about the lysine contingency?" Muldoon suggests, looking at John and Mr. Arnold in a more stern way than I had ever previously seen, "We could put that into effect."

"What's that?" Ellie and I ask simultaneously.

"That is absolutely out of the question." John states, pounding his cane on the ground for emphasis before walking away from the group in a huff.

"The lysine contingency's intended to prevent the spread of the animals in case they ever get off the island." Mr. Arnold replies to Ellie and I, turning his head to look at us, "Dr. Wu inserted a gene that creates a single faulty enzyme in protein metabolism. The animals can't manufacture the amino acid lysine. Unless they're completely supplied with lysine by us, they slip into a coma and die."

"That's despicable." I spit, crossing my arms in disgust, "How can he just mess with the genetics of a living being without feeling morally bankrupt. These creatures shouldn't have to rely on humans to survive!" Ellie just looks at me sympathetically before staring at the ground.