Lester stared at the girl in front of him. She had shown up at the ARC demanding to speak to either Nick Cutter. Lester had gently told her that he passed away in an accident and the girl's expression had changed, she looked really upset for a moment, like she would cry, but then she clenched her teeth together and squeezed her hands into fists and demanded that he tell her in more detail what happened.
Lester told her it was classified and started to tell her what that meant, but she'd cut him off indignantly saying that she wasn't dull. Then she flipped her long brown ponytail to the side and said she had come about a job and claimed that she was a highly trained professional. At what, she didn't say. He'd brushed her aside and told her that they weren't hiring, but she'd insisted on having an interview and something about her confidence had made Lester agree. The rest of the team had stared as she followed him into his office and sat across from him.
The girl was young, younger than Jess, Lester thought, but more like Abby really. She wore camouflage khaki pants and a white tank top and black boots. He asked her how old she was and she refused to tell him saying that her age had nothing to do with her ability to work.
"And why do you want this job?"
"It looks exciting and I know that you save people's lives. I think it's a great thing to aspire to, don't you?"
"Of course, of course. What I don't think you realise is that in order to do so, we are putting our own lives at stake. This job is dangerous."
"I know that. I'm prepared."
Lester looked at her curiously. She was too young obviously, but he liked her spunk. "Maybe when you're done school," he offered.
"I'm done. I graduated early."
"Like Jess then," he mumbled.
"What's that?"
"I was just thinking to myself that you might be like a younger Jess. You're not a sister or something are you?"
"No, I don't know anyone named Jess."
"Well, never mind then. What are your skills, abilities?"
"I know a lot about dinosaurs and I'm trained in martial arts and daggers."
"And, how are you at following orders?"
"That'd be my weak spot, unfortunately."
"You and everyone else that works here," Lester mumbled, disappointedly. Couldn't someone who was willing to obey orders apply at the ARC? Just once would be nice.
"Look, Kid," Lester began, but he was interrupted.
"My name's not Kid! It's Taylor. Your own Professor Nick Cutter told me I could work here when I left school and I demand the job I was offered."
Taylor, why did that name ring a bell? Lester looked at her closer, "How do you know about the dinosaurs?"
"I've been watching you and preparing myself for the past six years. I've seen the Siliurian Scorpians myself. I went through an anomaly once, in search of my dog."
Ah, right, now Lester had remembered. Both Nick and Stephen had spoken highly of her in their reports and mentioned that they didn't think they'd heard the last of her.
He eyed her carefully one more time and then sighed, "We can't actually hire anyone without military background for field work anymore, and I wouldn't put you in there anyway, you're too young. Until you're old enough to join the military you may work along side Abby in the menagerie. Might be handy to have a second person in there when she's out on the field."
Taylor nodded and stood, shaking Lester's hand gratefully. "Alright!" she said with a grin, "High Five!"
"Respect! Please!" Lester said, staring at her offered hand. Then he stood up and opened the door, "Oh, come on," he grumbled, "Let's go introduce you to the team. I'm sure Connor will be happy to high five you later."
Taylor grinned as she followed Lester out the door. She had a strange feeling that he wasn't as grumpy as he acted. Surely they'd get along fine.