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seems to have gone off half cocked, all on his own, running around the country talking to people, stirring up things. I don't suppose anybody's come to see you way out there?"
        "As a matter of fact," Grant said, "somebody did come to see me."
        Hammond snorted. "I was afraid of that. Smart-ass kid named Morris?"
        "Yes, his name was Morris," Grant said.
        "He's going to see all our consultants," Hammond said. "He went to see Ian Malcolm the other day-you know, the mathematician in Texas? That's the first I knew of it. We're having one hell of a time getting a handle on this thing, it's typical of the way government operates, there isn't any complaint, there isn't any charge, just harassment from some kid who's unsupervised and is running around at the taxpayers' expense. Did he bother you? Disrupt your work?"
        "No, no, he didn't bother me."
        "Well, that's too bad, in a way," Hammond said, "because I'd try and get an injunction to stop him if he had. As it is, I had our lawyers call over at EPA to find out what the hell their problem is. The head of the office claims he didn't know there was any investigation! You figure that one out. Damned bureaucracy is all it is. Hell, I think this kid's trying to get down to Costa Rica, poke around, get onto our island. You know we have an island down there?"
        "No," Grant said, looking at Ellie, "I didn't know."
        "Oh yes, we bought it and started our operation oh, four or five years ago now. I forget exactly. Called Isla Nublar-big island, hundred miles offshore. Going to be a biological preserve. Wonderful place. Tropical jungle. You know, you ought to see it, Dr. Grant."
        "Sounds interesting," Grant said, "but actually-"
        "It's almost finished now, you know," Hammond said. "I've sent you some material about it. Did you get my material?"
        "No, but we're pretty far from-"
        "Maybe it'll come today. Look it over. The island's just beautiful. It's got everything. We've been in construction now thirty months. You can imagine. Big park. Opens in September next year. You really ought to go see it.
        "It sounds wonderful, but-"
        "As a matter of fact," Hammond said, "I'm going to insist you see it, Dr. Grant. I know you'd find it right up your alley. You'd find it fascinating."
        "I'm in the middle of-" Grant said.
        "Say, I'll tell you what," Hammond said, as if the idea had just occurred to him. "I'm having some of the people who consulted for us go down there this weekend. Spend a few days and look it over. At our expense, of course. It'd be terrific if you'd give us your opinion."
        "I couldn't possibly," Grant said.
        "Oh, just for a weekend," Hammond said, with the irritating, cheery persistence of an old man. "That's all I'm talking about, Dr. Grant. I wouldn't want to interrupt your work. I know how important that work is. Believe me, I know that. Never interrupt your work. But you could hop on down there this weekend, and be back on Monday."
        "No, I couldn't," Grant said. "I've just found a new skeleton and-"
        "Yes, fine, but I still think you should come-" Hammond said, not really listening.
        "And we've just received some evidence for a very puzzling and remarkable find, which seems to be a living procompsognathid."
        "A what?" Hammond said, slowing down. "I didn't quite get that. You said a living procompsognathid?"
        "That's right," Grant said. "It's a biological specimen, a partial fragment of an animal collected from Central America. A living animal."
        "You don't say," Hammond said. "A living animal? How extraordinary."
        "Yes," Grant said. "We think so, too. So, you see, this isn't the time for me to be leaving-"
        "Central America, did you say?"
        "Yes."
        "Where in Central America is it from, do you know?"
        "A beach called Cabo Blanco, I don't know exactly where-"
        "I see." Hammond