Chapter 36. 2:

Chapter 36. 2:

...

After the group arrived at the village, it was time for Adam and Vince's next scene.

In this part, Nick and Arby had already split off from the group, making their way to the village to find the communications room and call for help.

The Jurassic Park village set, along with the radio station's interior, was incredible. A dark space filled with old equipment, dusty panels, and loose cables. The only light came from the flashlights the characters carried as they explored.

The set was almost completely silent, aside from the crew's instructions and the quiet murmurs of actors going over their lines, especially Vanessa, heh.

"Camera rolling… and action!"

Nick and Arby jogged into the village, completely out of breath. Their flashlights scanned the abandoned structures as they took in their surroundings before quickly heading toward one of the buildings.... they already knew the communications room was inside.

Once they entered, they moved carefully through the dark hallways. The place was covered in dust, abandoned for who knew how long.

With a flashlight in hand, Adam, playing Arby, cautiously looked around while following Nick through the corridors. The sound of their footsteps echoed eerily in the empty space, and the unsettling atmosphere made his skin crawl.

Arby gripped his flashlight tightly, his breathing short and unsteady. Even though he was just acting, anyone watching would have felt the tension of being in such a place.

Then, suddenly.... his flashlight landed on a terrifying silhouette.

"Nick!" Arby shouted, his voice filled with panic as he instinctively stepped back, already ready to run.

Nick spun around immediately, shining his flashlight in the same direction....

A dinosaur.

For a second, both of them seemed to hold their breath.

Then, Vince Vaughn burst into laughter.

"Relax, genius. It's just a painting on the wall."

Arby let out a deep breath and chuckled.

Adam had already repeated this shot three times because Spielberg wanted Arby's reaction to feel as natural as possible. And it worked. Even though he had nailed it every single time, Spielberg kept pushing for slight variations in each take, and Adam, with his skill, managed to deliver exactly what the director was looking for.

By the third take, Spielberg was thrilled.

After that, Nick and Arby lingered for a moment, staring at the wall. The painting didn't just depict a dinosaur.... it also showed an image of the old Jurassic Park village, the very place they were standing in now.

But before they could take it all in, a sudden noise snapped them out of it.

Both of them froze.

"What was that?" Arby whispered.

Nick, not really interested in finding out, smirked and gave Arby a pat on the back before walking forward.

"Come on, we've got work to do."

Arby quickly nodded.... he wasn't about to stick around and figure out what that sound was either.

They moved into another room, searching for their objective. After a few moments, they finally found the communications station.

Inside, Nick immediately noticed a High Voltage warning sign and quickly located the power source. He flipped the switches, causing the lights to flicker before dimly illuminating the space.

Then, he turned his attention to the radio and attempted to send a signal... but nothing happened.

Even with the power back on, the equipment was dead.

He tried again. Still nothing.

"What now?" Nick muttered, tapping the panel in frustration.

Meanwhile, Arby was already inspecting the cables and connections.

"The equipment's damaged," he said, crouching down for a closer look. Adam was completely in character, his hands moving confidently as if he truly knew what he was doing. "Give me a second."

With quick, precise movements, Arby reconnected some loose wires and adjusted the circuits.

Nick watched, impressed.

"How the hell did you learn to do that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Adam, as Arby, flashed a small grin. "My dad always said I had a knack for this kind of stuff."

With one final adjustment, the radio suddenly crackled to life.

Nick wasted no time.

"C.Q. C.Q. This is InGen Operations Harvest Leader to Harvest Base. Repeating: I am calling for InGen Operations Harvest Leader seeking InGen Harvest Base."

For a moment, only static filled the air.

Then.... 

"Go ahead, Harvest Leader."

Nick didn't hesitate.

"Yeah, the operation has suffered severe casualties, and the survivors are now in mortal danger. I need you to send rescue immediately. Our coordinates here are, um—" He quickly glanced at a piece of paper. "Our coordinates here are nine degrees, 58 minutes north, 86 degrees—"

"Cut!" Spielberg called out.

The director grinned, clapping his hands together.

"Well done, guys! That take was excellent."

Adam let out a breath of relief.

He glanced around, suddenly realizing—this had been one of his last scenes for the movie.

Yeaaa, It felt… strange.

.....

The sun was beginning to set on the horizon as Adam remained on set, watching the big action scene with the velociraptors being filmed.

He wasn't scheduled to shoot this time, but he didn't mind. There was something almost hypnotic about watching the actors face off against the animatronic dinosaurs as if they were real. The way Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, and Vanessa Lee Chester moved, screamed, and reacted made everything feel completely authentic.

From his spot next to the cameras, Adam studied every detail.

The tension on Jeff's face as Ian Malcolm tried to figure out where Nick Van Owen was. The way Vanessa, in her role as Kelly, clung to her father as the velociraptor suddenly lunged at Sarah.

Julianne's scream was so convincing that Adam felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine. For a moment, his brain forgot this was a film set—he was completely immersed in the illusion.

The guttural roar of the raptor sliced through the air as it snagged Sarah's backpack with its claws. She struggled, fell onto her back, and barely managed to roll away before being caught. Ian shouted her name, but all he could do was push Kelly toward safety.

Adam exhaled slowly. He knew every move was carefully choreographed, that the actors had precise marks to hit, and that the velociraptors were just a mix of animatronics, visual effects, and sound design. And yet, his heartbeat quickened.

That was the magic of cinema.

Watching it happen in real life was a completely different experience from seeing it on a screen.

It wasn't just about delivering lines or playing a character—it was about making the audience believe, even for just a second, that everything was real.

"Cut!" Spielberg called out, smiling. "That was great, guys!"

The set filled with murmurs and nervous laughter as the crew prepared for the next take. Adam watched as the technicians adjusted the lighting and the camera operators reviewed the footage.

He felt a slight pang of envy. Not the bitter kind, but the type you get when you witness something amazing and wish you were part of it.

Wish Arby had gotten more action scenes.

But his turn was coming. He still had one last scene left before saying goodbye to The Lost World.

...

The next shoot was less chaotic but just as important.

This time, they were using a real helicopter, which had Vanessa buzzing with excitement. Adam, on the other hand, was already familiar with flying in helicopters.... his father, despite being a pilot for commercial airplanes, also had a helicopter license. And when Adam was eight, his dad had taken him for a ride in a casino-owned helicopter.

Still, this was different.

Now, Adam was back in character as Arby.... the kid who had beaten the odds and was finally about to escape Isla Sorna.

The scene began with Nick and Arby peering out from one of the crumbling structures. From there, they spotted a helicopter descending through the trees, its blades stirring up leaves and debris with a thunderous roar.

"Run!" Adam shouted as Arby, waving his arms to get Ian and the others' attention. Nick, beside him, was also signaling for them to hurry.

Down below, Goldblum, Moore, and Chester took off running, dodging debris and remnants of what was once InGen's village. They didn't have to fake exhaustion.... everyone was wiped out after a long day of filming under the sweltering heat. Of course, they were still covered in the appropriate makeup for the scene.

When they finally reached the structure, Nick helped them up the stairs as the camera followed them closely. Ian barely had time to speak to the pilot before they all climbed aboard, panting and looking back at the island behind them.

Silence.

Not a peaceful silence, but a heavy one, thick with unspoken emotions.

Arby and Kelly, the two kids in the group, sat in their seats, motionless, eyes distant, their expressions haunted.

Adam as Arby felt the weight of the moment settle in his chest. The desperation. The fear. The knowledge that one wrong move could have meant the end.

In the scene, Nick leaned over to Arby and gave him a light nudge on the shoulder, trying to break the tension.

"It's over, kid.... It's over" he murmured.

But Arby just nodded silently, swallowing hard, unsure if he'd ever truly feel safe again.

Then, as the tension eased, a new thought crossed his mind.... his father. His father, who was gone.

A single tear slipped down his cheek as Nick quietly placed a reassuring arm around his shoulders.

Adam let himself sink into the scene.

The roar of the helicopter.

The scent of fuel in the air.

The warm breeze against his face as they watched the "island" fade into the distance.

And below them, they could "see" another rescue team working to secure the Tyrannosaurus rex. Ludlow and Roland Tembo stood there, watching the final chapter unfold.

And then.... 

"Cut!" Spielberg's voice boomed over the radio.

....

When the cast climbed out of the helicopter and made their way toward the director, who had been watching the scene unfold.

Everyone waited for his verdict.

Adam had a feeling Vanessa was really hoping she wouldn't have to get back into that helicopter.

Spielberg let a few seconds pass before finally breaking the silence.

"That was perfect."

The collective relief was almost tangible.

Adam blinked a few times, as if snapping out of a trance.

He had just filmed his final scene in The Lost World.

And with that… it was over.

He wasn't sure how to feel.

He had spent nearly three months working on this movie.

He had gotten used to the rhythm of filming, the camaraderie of the cast and crew, the jokes between takes.

And now… it was over.

The set still had more work ahead, but for him, this was the end.

It didn't fully sink in until Vanessa Lee Chester walked up to him.

One by one, the people he had worked with for months came to say goodbye.

And yep, Vanessa was the first.

"Well, White… looks like you're done."

Adam nodded, feeling an unexpected wave of sadness.

"Yeah… I guess so."

Vanessa grinned before pulling him into a tight hug.

"We'll see each other again. No question."

Adam chuckled, though he wasn't sure when that would be.

And then, as if he had been waiting for just the right moment, Jeff Goldblum appeared beside him, ruffling his hair with a smirk.

"Nice work, kid," he said in that slow, signature way of his. "Keep it up."

"Thank you, Mr. Goldblum."

Goldblum winced. "'Mr. Goldblum'—ugh, you just made me feel old."

Vanessa laughed. "Because you are old."

Finally, Spielberg himself walked over to Adam, smiling warmly.

"You were incredible, Adam," the director said sincerely. "It was a pleasure having you here, and I have no doubt your career is going to be quite amazing. You have a rare talent."

Adam felt his chest swell with pride.

"Thank you, Mr. Spielberg."

It had been an honor to work with him. With all of them.

Taking one last look at the set, Adam grabbed his things and headed toward the car that would take him to the airport.

His journey in The Lost World had come to an end.

And no, he wasn't exactly happy about it.

But he had to accept it.

It had been great while it lasted.