Jurassic Wildflower (A Jurassic World AU)

Chapter one

Four years later

"Ah, Anna, there you are," said a man sitting across the room as Anna appeared in the doorway. "Take a seat," he gestured to the several empty chairs lining the central table.

Only three of the ten chairs were filled. Anna took the chair farthest away from all of them. She didn't know any of the other people in the room, and that made her nervous.

"I suppose I'd better introduce everyone," the first man said, smiling pleasantly at Anna. "I'm Doctor Jonah, currently in charge of the park. Over here," he gestured to a grey-haired woman sitting on his right. She offered a stiff smile. "Is Doctor Watson, she is the head of our science division. And this," the woman on his left nodded curtly to Anna. She had dark brown skin and smooth black hair. "Is Agent Leanne. She runs park security. Doctor, Agent, this is Anna Reech, one of our top dinosaur trainers."

Agent Leanne nodded again, her expression was stern, as though she spent most of her time telling people off. "We have some security concerns," she said.

"My division is completely safe," Anna said quickly, hoping that the sooner she reassured everyone that nothing was wrong, the sooner she could leave this meeting. "We haven't had an injury in over a year, to staff or visitors, and I check the gates, fences and cameras daily." Her hands gripped the edges of her seat. She wanted to be back with her dinosaurs.

"Oh, no," Doctor Jonah said, his dark eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled, then his expression turned serious again with startling suddenness. "Not in your division, Miss Reech. You're right, your dinosaurs have been remarkably well-behaved. The security concern is in another part of the park."

"Oh?" Anna contemplated simply leaving the room. Would they really care? She wasn't really that important, surely there were better people to ask about this 'security concern'?

"Another trainer," said Agent Leanne. "You are likely never to have met her, which is why we think you would be a good person for this mission."

"I'm sorry, did you say 'mission'?" Anna had exactly zero belief that she was cut out for any sort of 'mission.'

Agent Leanne shot her an even sterner look. She passed a tablet across the table to Anna, who picked it up cautiously, as though it might explode. The image on the screen was of a woman, probably not younger than Anna herself, with dark brown skin, short-cut black hair and green eyes that seemed to glare right through the screen. Her arms were crossed, and Anna could see the edge of a tattoo on her left upper arm. The name on the top of the screen read 'Rose Palmer.'

"I'm sorry, I don't know who this is," Anna said, setting the tablet back down. Although the name 'Rose' did sound vaguely familiar. Hadn't it been someone named Rose who stopped the incident with a hybrid dinosaur four years ago?

"Our friend Rose is one of the trainers in the PDD," Dr Jonah said. Predatory Dinosaurs Division, Anna thought with a shiver. That was where the real threats were, the dinosaurs who had tried to destroy the park more than once. "Agent Leanne?"

The dark-haired woman picked up the tablet Anna had put down. She tapped the screen a few times then flicked an image from the screen into a projection in the centre of the table. Anna was pretty sure it was Rose again.

She was standing in the middle of what looked like an arena, on the edge of the screen Anna could see rows of seats and people watching eagerly. As Anna watched, Rose raised one hand a clicked her fingers three times.

Four dinosaurs, walking on two legs with long tails and sharp-looking teeth, appeared out of nowhere and surrounded Rose. Anna thought they might be Velociraptors, although she couldn't be sure; she didn't know predatory dinosaurs as well as she knew the ones she cared for.

Rose turned in a slow circle, looking at each of the four dinosaurs in turn, then she made a circular motion with one hand and whistled – or at least, Anna thought she did, the recording was soundless – and the four dinosaurs turned and ran in different directions, then started pacing in a large circle around her. Rose pointed to the sky and the crowd on the edge of the screen looked up, though the camera angle stayed the same, so Anna couldn't see what they were looking at.

"I don't see-" Anna started. She wasn't terribly impressed, she had trained the more agreeable of her own dinosaurs to do tricks like that, why was this any different?

"Shh," Doctor Watson hissed. She had not spoken a word since Anna walked in and it was so surprising that Anna quieted immediately.

The camera shook and Anna's eyes went wide as a huge dinosaur stepped into view. It was easily more than ten feet tall, with huge teeth and a large, swinging tail. It opened its mouth and the camera shook again with the force of its roar. Anna put one hand to her mouth, expecting to watch Rose get eaten. Maybe that was the threat, maybe this dinosaur what still roaming wild with no one to contain it.

Many members of the crowd that Anna could see seemed to be having the same thoughts, as at least two parents had covered their children's eyes.

Rose raised her left hand again, staring at the huge dinosaur as it slowed to a stop in front of her. Slowly, she lowered her hand.

And the dinosaur lowered its head with it. It looked almost as though it was... bowing to her. The four smaller dinosaurs around Rose did the same thing, then the video flickered and froze, on an image of Rose standing in the middle of a circle of bowing dinosaurs.

Anna didn't say anything. After a moment, Agent Leanne spoke up. "The control she has over these dinosaurs is unlike anything anyone has ever seen," she said.

Anna nodded. She saw that. She didn't need them to spell it out for her.

"We are concerned, that she may become ambitious," Agent Leanne said. "With those creatures backing her, no one could stop her."

"Which is where you come in," Doctor Jonah said brightly. "After careful consideration, we've decided to partner you with Miss Palmer. You are one of our best trainers, and we found that trainers from your division are more... humble than those from the others."

"I see," Anna said hesitantly. "With all due respect, Sir, I don't think I can do this. My skill lies with the dinosaurs I work with, the ones that won't eat me alive."

Much to Anna's surprise, Doctor Watson laughed. "You've stared down a charging Triceratops," she said in a rusty voice. "And we have eyes on all the enclosures. You will not get eaten alive."

"Please, Anna," Doctor Jonah said. "You're our best option."

Anna closed her eyes for a moment. She really didn't want to do this, but maybe it was the best way for her to help the park.

She opened her eyes again. "Alright," she said. "I'll do it."