Late Morning – Gallimimus Enclosure, Ranger Jeep Patrol
The jeep rumbled gently as we moved along the elevated dirt track, tires cutting soft lines through damp soil.
Marin sat in the passenger seat, binoculars up, squinting into the dappled clearing beyond the fencing.
Avery drove, one hand casually resting near the tranq rifle holstered between us.
In the enclosure, the original six Gallimimus were darting through the brush in their usual graceful chaos, long limbs blurring, feathers catching the breeze like flares.
The new additions, the second clutch, weren't out yet.
But we could see their future through the wire.
"They're adapting well," Marin said. "The introverts are less clingy now. They've started splitting into subgroups."
"Teenage rebellion?" I offered.
She snorted. "Natural behavior. Flock dynamics. It means they're healthy."
We passed a small bluff where Carlos and his crew were hard at work,the distinctive clang of rebar being driven into soil rang through the air.
The new fencing zone curved outward from the original enclosure, clearing space for the upcoming mixed-species habitat.
Carlos looked up from his schematics and gave a short salute with his wrench. "Boss! The Expansion is on schedule. We'll have the south barrier set by Friday."
"Things are Looking good Carlos," I said, standing up slightly in the open-top jeep. "Any risk trees might be too close again?"
Carlos gestured toward a freshly cleared section where a team was felling select trees, root systems still steaming from the morning sun.
"Nope. We've got a five-meter buffer now. We've calculated it: natural fall radius plus wind margin. This fence could take a hit from an Ankylosaurus."
He puffed out his chest a little, then subtly glanced nearby, as if checking it for any signs of Ankylosaurus-induced damage.
"I'll remember that if we clone one," I said, a mischievous grin playing on my lips.
Avery gave me a sideways look, thinking its a Joke, probably.
Carlos let out a short, high-pitched chuckle that sounded suspiciously like a nervous squeak.
His eyes darted from the fence to the tree line, then back to the fence, as if expecting to see a prehistoric tail swinging through the mist at any moment.
He cleared his throat.
Early Afternoon – Hatchery, Observation Gallery
The second clutch of Gallimimus were in their final pre-release phase, still in the hatchery nursery, but active.
They weren't as fluffy or awkward as their siblings had been during their first steps. These ones moved with a kind of sharp, birdlike precision, they had Faster reflexes and Cleaner muscle development.
"They're showing higher social exploration," Kamal explained beside me. "The serotonin pathway markers we tracked in the embryos? They're translating to stronger bonding behaviors."
"They're already sorting themselves," Jia said, pointing to one that kept circling two others and nudging them like a border collie. "That one's been doing that all morning."
I watched them, moving behind reinforced glass, chirping in little bursts, already forming patterns none of us had taught them.
"They'll be ready within a week, to be released in the enclosure" Kamal added. "Once we're sure their immune systems are stable and they pass the final diet trials."
"Hmm The more we watch them move, the better we understand the whole damn thing."I said.
Later – Enclosure Perimeter and Visitor Trail Zone
We looped back around to the outer walkway, the future guest path. It was Gravel for now, but soon it would be paved with natural stone and edged with low plantings.
I stepped out of the jeep and walked along the edge of the trail, brushing a hand against the temporary guide rail.
Avery followed my gaze.
"Is something wrong Boss?" Marin said.
"No, Not really wrong," I said, "but we need more flora here. The left side has some canopy growth, but the right side's too sparse comparatively. The illusion only works if it feels wild."
"We can plant heavier in that region," Marin said, pulling up her tablet. "Broad-leaf tropicals along with Low vines, will do the trick, but make sure not to add anything with spikes or allergens."
"And one more thing." I said.
I turned and pointed to the clearing just to the right of the park entrance, opposite the Gallimimus enclosure, with natural depression, surrounded by trees, both silent and underused.
"We'll turn that into a rest park. Pathways coming from different angles, crisscrossing along with a pond in the center with some Trees, benches and shade. A place where people can breathe."
Marin nodded. "Water helps with ambient cooling, too. And it'll look beautiful."
I smiled faintly. "And in the middle, near the pond, we'll place a statue of John Hammond."
Carlos, who'd wandered up during the conversation, paused. "Hammond? You sure about that?"
"He started this dream," I said. "Though It nearly ate itself alive, but the vision mattered. This time, we will do it right and we will remind everyone again, who imagined it first."
Marin looked at me, then nodded once, quietly.
Late Afternoon – Genetics Lab, Parasaurolophus Research Wing
The lab was humming with quiet urgency.
Kamal scrolled through gene overlays while Jia flipped through old ecological simulations.
On the screen between them was the nearly complete Parasaurolophus sequence, over 80 percent stabilized, with several correction markers already passed.
"We just added a new modifier," Kamal said without looking up. "Drought-tolerance gene."
I stepped closer. "From where?"
"Desert bighorn sheep," Jia said, grinning. "Specifically the kidney response protein. Helps manage internal water retention. Makes them more adaptable to fluctuating rainfall."
"That's... smart."
"Not my idea though, sadly," she said. "Research came out of UC Davis. We just adapted the vector."
Kamal tapped a key, and the screen showed a glowing embryo model.
"With this, the Paras will be able to survive longer dry spells without needing constant water flow. which is Better for the mixed paddock, during dry season."
"And what about the eggs?" I asked
"The are already underway," Kamal said. "we fertilized the batch about three hours ago. Twelve of them seem viable so far."
I stepped back and let that numbers settle in the air.
Twelve.
Twelve future lives.
Jia looked at me. "Want to name the first one?"
I shook my head. "They'll name themselves, once they walk. Let the nature be nature."
"Suit yourself," Jia said, a small smile playing on her lips. "Though I was going to suggest 'Sparky' for the one that keeps trying to lick the electrical outlet. Seems fitting, don't you think?"