"Attention guests, Giganotosaurus Exhibit Sector 5 has resumed operations. The feeding presentation will begin in 15 minutes. Please line up in an orderly fashion and have your tickets ready. We hope you enjoy your visit."
"Daddy, I want to see!" A little boy, about seven years old, sat perched on his father's shoulders, pointing toward the entrance.
"Ah, son, the carnivore exhibits are always so crowded. How about we go see the herbivores instead?" The father seemed worried that the feeding show might be too bloody, fearing it would have a negative impact on his child.
"Oh..." The boy looked disappointed, but he obediently nodded.
"Hey, honey, I think we should actually check it out. We might get to see this," a woman nearby said, tilting her phone screen toward the man.
The man looked confused but leaned in curiously.
Displayed on the screen was the official Jurassic World website. Currently occupying the number nine spot on the trending list was a notification from the Giganotosaurus Exhibit:
[Giganotosaurus Exhibit: The family has grown! The Giganotosaurus carolinii pair in Sector 5 has welcomed a new addition! Starting today, he is officially meeting the public! (Video)]
The video showed the scene of Carlo admiring himself by the lake earlier. At the end of the clip, an advertisement was attached:
[Now Available: 'Father and Son' bonding postcards! On sale now at the Giganotosaurus Exhibit gift shop!]
The postcard featured the image of the father Giganotosaurus nudging Carlo's head with his own, likely captured by one of the camouflaged cameras.
The comment section below the video was buzzing:
[Whoa, a baby Giga!]
[This little guy looks way better than his parents. Are we sure he's biological?]
[Why does he kind of look like an Allosaurus?]
[What a narcissistic little dinosaur. So cute, I'm dying.]
Outside the screen, a man with a dark-skinned, Indian face looked somewhat displeased. His expression shifted into a grimace of pure bewilderment, especially after reading that last unhinged comment.
"Dr. Wu, our partnership has always been pleasant, and you have never disappointed me." Simon Masrani sat in his office chair, brow slightly furrowed. He turned his computer monitor toward Dr. Wu, who sat opposite him. "Did you come here just to ask me to build a natural ecological zone for this little thing?"
Henry Wu was a scientist through and through. He disliked negotiating with businessmen and usually left such tasks to his assistants. But for the sake of that hatchling, he had to come in person.
"Mr. Masrani, you're missing the point. This is a true dinosaur. Its maximum value can only be realized within a natural ecosystem." Dr. Wu maintained a calm, steady smile, projecting his usual aura of composed authority.
"That isn't a reason." Simon shook his head. "While I admire the 'spare no expense' adventurous spirit Hammond had back then, it doesn't mean I'm going to throw money away."
"In fact, this 'Ecological Zone' sounds less like a park expansion and more like a new Giganotosaurus exhibit you've custom-tailored for this specific animal."
Simon placed his hand over the documents Wu had brought, his fingers tapping the desk as he waited for a better pitch.
"Indeed." Wu did not deny his favoritism toward the young Giga. "But the profit you can generate from this ecological zone will far exceed its cost, will it not?"
Simon didn't answer, merely looking at Wu with a flicker of interest.
"I imagine a single pay-per-view documentary would be enough for you to recoup your investment." Wu realized then that Simon, a man with a romanticist streak, had likely wanted to create an "original" prehistoric wilderness for a long time but had held back for various reasons. The creation of the Gyrosphere Valley was proof of that desire. Now, Wu just had to push him over the edge.
"An 'Untamed Dinosaur Sanctuary'... the name alone is enough to draw crowds," Wu continued. "Furthermore, it can house those aggressive, antisocial herbivores, significantly increasing the safety of the rest of the park."
Simon nodded slowly. "And the conflicts between the dinosaurs?"
"Regarding that..." Wu paused. "Conflicts between carnivores and herbivores are inevitable. However, I believe it is precisely that conflict that truly captures the essence of a 'primeval' world."
"Besides, it caters to the tastes of a certain demographic." At this, Wu observed Simon's expression. The CEO didn't argue; instead, his eyes brightened slightly, clearly imagining the spectacle of a dinosaur hunt.
"As for conflicts between carnivores..." Wu adopted a thoughtful look. Simon leaned in, looking as serious as a student listening to a lecture's key points.
"I believe you needn't worry." Wu looked Simon in the eye. "As long as there is sufficient territory, carnivores rarely engage in actual combat. At most, there will be brief displays of dominance; they will never fight to the death."
Simon nodded, a weight finally lifting from his mind. "I will consider it."
Wu knew the deal was as good as done. A smile played on his lips as he rose to take his leave.
Ding!
A notification sounded from the desk computer. Simon turned the monitor back toward himself, curiosity in his eyes.
"What kind of charm do you have to enchant Dr. Wu like this?" Simon clicked on the latest video uploaded by the Giganotosaurus Exhibit.
…
Whiz—Boom!
A flare shot into the sky. The shrieking sound startled a goat in the clearing. Due to its tether, the animal could only bleat helplessly in place.
"It's starting! It's starting!"
"Finally!"
"Where's the dinosaur? Where is it?"
Inside the suspended log viewing area, the crowd began to grow restless.
Thump... Thump...
Heavy footsteps echoed, drowning out the chatter. A massive reptilian form entered their field of vision—the father Giga had arrived.
As the dinosaur appeared, the crowd fell into a hushed silence. It might not have been their first time seeing a living dinosaur, but for many, it was the first time seeing an apex predator of this scale. Much like audiences in the 1990s seeing Jurassic Park for the first time, they stood with mouths agape.
The silence was broken only after the father Giga swallowed the goat whole, followed by wave after wave of cheers.
Not far from his father, Carlo looked at the dying flare on the ground and the privacy glass on the distant log, lost in thought.
The logs were well-soundproofed; he couldn't hear the roar of the tourists, nor could he smell the humans. But his instinct told him:
People are there.
Carlo turned toward another section, a standing redwood tree that also featured privacy glass.
It wasn't until he was within three meters of the tree that he caught a whiff of something suspicious. It was the scent of humans. And... there were many of them.
"Daddy, he's coming! He's coming over here!"
The middle-aged man smiled, unable to help himself as he watched his son's excitement.
The child pressed his palm against the glass. Carlo sensed the scent growing stronger in one particular spot. He leaned in further, staring with curious eyes at the exact location where the scent was most concentrated.
He couldn't see what was behind the glass, but from the other side, the tourists saw a human child and a dinosaur hatchling staring at each other with mutual wonder.
Click!
[Giganotosaurus Exhibit Official: A meeting of the young! An eye-to-eye encounter 65 million years in the making! Postcards now available at all park outlets!]