The Lost World

Eddie, the crew’s mechanic, is immediately uncomfortable on the island. Even as they begin to unload the massive equipment they have brought—the trailers that house their computer lab, living quarters, ammunition, canisters of neurotoxins, a military-style Explorer vehicle, and a motorcycle for treacherous terrain—Eddie frets over the batteries they have brought. They are untested in such conditions. 

The search party heads into the jungle in their Ford Explorer which pulls the research trailers. They use the weak signal from Levine’s GPS to direct their search. When they approach a small stream, Thorne stops the vehicle. He spots a strip of green Gore-Tex presumably from Levine’s expedition pack. While examining the strip, Thorne is aware of a gathering of chicken-sized dinosaurs along the stream. They seem more curious than threatening. Although Eddie is apprehensive, Malcolm reassures him they are not hunters. They feed on carcasses and waste.

The team moves further into the island’s interior. At a fork, a dilapidated road sign points to Site B. On the way, the Explorer is suddenly stopped by a pack of triceratops blocking the road. In short order, numerous other dinosaurs cross the road, including a massive stegosaurus. They pay no attention to the Explorer and each crew member, is mesmerized by the beauty and majesty of the creatures.

Watching the flashing light that indicates Levine’s presence, the team cautiously passes through the broken gates that mark Site B. The facility, more than two football fields long, is a cluster of massive windowless concrete buildings. It is a “factory” (124), Malcolm observes with characteristic irony, an industrial plant where, In-Gen planned to mass manufacture their dinosaurs.

In the living quarters trailer pulled by the Explorer, there is a sudden move in one of the many storage compartments. Kelly and Arby emerge from their hiding place. After more than 12 hours hiding in the cramped compartment, they are grateful to stretch and finally go to the bathroom. They scavenge the kitchen cupboards for something to eat. Through the portal window, they watch as the search team heads into what looks like an abandoned factory. They figure that they have time to rest. They stretch out gratefully on the beds and quickly fall asleep.

The main building shows evidence of abandonment including snakes, rats, mold, and jungle plants pushing up through the floor tiles. The team follows Levine’s signal. As they walk cautiously through the cavernous building, Malcolm explains the original Jurassic Park project; tourists there would be shown a kind of replica lab and told that was where the dinosaurs were being created while InGen would actually use this massive plant to begin the long-term industrial production of dinosaurs.

When Arby wakes up, he begins to tour the trailer. Intrigued by the computer system, he decides to try to contact the search team. He flips on the computer and after trying several passwords lucks into the system.

The team enters what is clearly a laboratory. They sort through piles of reports and records left on the desks, including a report into some sort of massive infection that had hit the animals and the failed attempts to control it. The report indicates that to protect the dinosaurs from the infection (and salvage the project itself), many had been tagged and released into the island’s jungle. What amazes the team, however, is the quiet hum of power—the computers are still operative.

Now in the system, Arby cautiously flips on the system’s video surveillance network that taps into the InGen system. It is a longshot that the In-Gen’s system would still be operable. Suddenly, the screens fill with images of dinosaurs in real time walking about the island. Arby has accessed the island’s surveillance cameras.

The search team is curious about the system’s power source. They head to the power station at the rear of the building. They discover that In-Gen had tapped into the island’s geothermal volcanic energy to maintain the network’s operations. They go back to the Explorer to return to the trailers.

Suddenly, from their radio they hear a voice that sounds like Arby telling them to run. They become aware of a massive tyrannosaurus just behind them. They floor the Explorer, but the T. Rex easily catches them. Oddly, the creature passes them and awaits ahead. They stop the Explorer and the dinosaur sniffs the car and then squats on the hood and leaves his scent. Arby’s voice on the radio tells them Levine is on the move just ahead.

The GPS signal indicates now that Levine was some distance from the facility. Thorne volunteers to track him through the increasingly treacherous island backroads on the motorcycle they brought. As he does, he comes across a massive hollowed out bowl in the earth, its lip strewn with carcasses. He hears soft purring noises. He conjectures it is a nest.

Adjusting to the darkness, Thorne can make out two large tyrannosaurs, most likely the parents. He begins to see several small bird-like creatures in the nest. He watches as the parents move about with delicacy and gentleness, feeding their offspring from the bits and pieces of the strewn carcasses.

He identifies the signal indicating that Levine is close; he even sees Levine’s bike against a tree. Turning upward, he sees Levine in the tree above the nest. Unexpectedly, Levine clumsily tumbles from his tree perch and lands right at Thorne’s feet. Before the two can say anything, however, Thorne receives a panicked message on his radio; it is Arby again telling them again to get out.

Thorne believes Arby is back in California and is puzzled. They have no time to argue. Thorne and Levine both climb on to Levine’s bike and head down the treacherous road back to the trailer. Levine reassures Thorne they were in no danger—the tyrannosaurs were only protecting their nest. Arriving at the trailer, Thorne wants to find out why he sees Kelly and Arby waving at them from the trailer’s window.