Started this a while ago and realized it would be better as the first of a series than one long saga. So you will be left with some mysteries unsolved :) Rate and review if you'd like the series to continue- the next will be Matt's post-Series 5 story.
I am in no way affiliated with ITV or the show Primeval, I just wish it had continued and decided to do it myself. This story is rated M for graphic content, please turn back now if that will bother you.
She was nervous. She could feel her stomach tie itself into a knot, untie itself, and tie a more complicated, sailor's knot. Clutching her CV to her chest, she took a moment to lean on the bannister and regain her usual composure.
She had every reason to be nervous. She was 19 years old and interviewing for a job that required finesse, confidence, experience. While she was exceptionally personable and intelligent, she knew she wasn't going to get this job. And yet her mother had suggested it, which was strange as her mother didn't have any other help to offer in her post-internship job hunt. She'd been lucky enough to intern for MI5, which was another position she in no way thought possible. They'd called her! She checked her updo in a window's reflection, and straightened her cardigan.
She made her way through the building, a large nondescript behemoth owned by the government. After showing credentials and gaining clearance, she headed to the basement of all places. When she exited the elevator, she saw a small sign that read "ARC" and had an arrow pointing her way. Following the dimly lit hallway, she came upon an open door. Inside was a clearly frustrated man in a pinstriped suit. He was standing across the room, staring at her as if he'd seen a ghost. He quickly closed his jaw and beckoned her over.
"Miss Parker, I presume?" he asked, offering a hand to shake, which she did.
"Yes, and you must be James Lester. Very nice to meet you, sir," she smiled.
"Apologies for our current offices," he gestured to the large, cold room, clearly meant for storage use only. "Seems the higher ups get a kick out of stuffing me in the basement until the new ARC is complete. I'll have the last laugh when they see the bill for the menagerie," he smirked. Menagerie? she thought.
"I'm sorry Mr. Lester, but what sort of office is this exactly?" He smiled.
"Sit down," he said, gesturing to a black table in a corner. It almost looked like an interrogation room. He opened a laptop and faced it towards her. Hitting play, she saw footage of a... a... but it couldn't be.
"What is... Is that a..." she mumbled, gaping at the screen.
"It's a Stegosaurus, apparently," Lester said dryly. "This happened last week. Do you wish to end the interview now, Miss Parker?" She shook her head no, not really sure why. She knew she should leave, that her life was hard enough without dinosaurs in the mix.
"Is that real?" she finally asked.
"Painfully real, Miss Parker."
"And?" she asked, in a bit of a daze.
"And this is what we do here. We take care of situations like these and prevent them. I need someone like you analyzing the data and coordinating my team." As he said this he shuddered a bit, but she didn't notice.
"So, this job- I wouldn't come into contact with the... uh..."
"Dinosaurs?" Lester filled in. He paused, weighing the truth. "No you wouldn't."
"Right," she breathed out, regaining her composure, "good."
When she got home, she felt dizzy. She hardly remembered the second half of the interview, she'd babbled about being the best coordinator there is and surely Lester had seen through her fear. She'd put on a brave face but surely it was obvious that she couldn't lead a team in battle against a DINOSAUR. She couldn't even believe that dinosaurs had a place in her life. What else was hidden from her? What other secrets were waiting to be discovered?