Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue! ;D
A/N: Bitten by the plot bunny once again! lol I have a bit of an idea where I'd like to take this!
Chapter 1: Hopes and Arguments
Jess's stomach felt like it was full of butterflies. She was maybe a little too excited that she had managed to convince Lester and Becker to allow her to go on this one anomaly mission to an abandoned castle out in the countryside.
For some reason lately, she'd started to feel as if sitting at the terminal sending coordinates and overseeing the technical progress of missions was not enough; like she hadn't been pulling her own weight.
She wanted more excitement in her life. She felt that if she could prove her worth out in the field, than perhaps she would finally get Becker's full attention. Despite what she'd told Phillip when she was first hired for the ARC, she felt that she was ready to take on the challenges of being out in the field.
Unfortunately, she hadn't thought that they would cave so fast when the anomaly alert had gone off earlier this morning, giving her no time to change out of her pomegranate-colored, short-sleeved dress and matching clogged heels.
As they pulled up to the looming castle, Jess realized that she'd been holding her breath as she quietly gasped for air.
They climbed out of the trucks and made their way to the bed of the truck.
Becker picked up the bag that contained the locking mechanism and slung it over his shoulder before grabbing an EMD.
Matt and Abby grabbed EMDs as well. Connor picked up two EMDs and hesitantly handed the smaller one to Jess.
"You, uh, you know how to fire one of these babies?" Connor asked sheepishly.
He felt it a bit hypocritical that he was the one asking Jess about her abilities with firearms when a few years ago, he was the one being mocked.
"I've tested them. I'm perfectly capable of using one, Connor." Jess retorted as she turned to follow the others in.
Connor quickly shut the bed of the truck and quickly caught up to the others.
"Jess, I—I never said you weren't capable of handling an EMD." Connor apologized.
"It's fine, Connor." Jess sighed as they entered the castle.
"If it makes you feel any better, I wasn't allowed to handle a gun on a daily basis until a couple of years ago and I've been on the—"
Jess interrupted, giggling slightly. "I've read your file. About how you shot Abby with a tranquilizer dart and then shot a man in a lion costume with—"
"Yeah, could you—not mention that around Abby, please?" Connor cut her off, embarrassed. "It took me quite a while to get back in her good graces after that incident."
"Do you think there's a creature incursion?" Jess asked aloud to the group.
"It's possible, but we won't know until we've sealed the anomaly and searched the castle." Becker replied, glancing to the left and to right down the long corridor.
"Which way, Connor?" Abby asked turning to her boyfriend.
Connor pulled out the anomaly device and studied it for a moment.
"This way." Connor spoke as he led the group to the right, down the corridor.
There was an odd static as everyone took out the earpiece.
"I think the black boxes have reached their range limits." Matt spoke as he examined the piece of technology.
"They've never made that sound before, could be the anomaly interfering with it?" Jess asked.
"Temple?" Becker asked.
Connor shrugged. "Dunno, maybe. I won't really know until we reach the anomaly. Then again, maybe Matt's right, they've probably just reached their distance limits."
"We are at least five hours away from the ARC." Abby pointed out.
"I'm surprised Lester and Phillip let us this far out for an anomaly alert." Becker commented.
"I'm surprised it's still giving off a signal five hours after the alert came through." Connor said staring at the anomaly detector.
"Could we find the anomaly before something comes through if it hasn't already?" Matt asked annoyed.
He couldn't stand bonding moments like this. He just wanted to get the job done and get back to the ARC to further his efforts in his mission.
"Yep." Connor nodded, looking up at Matt.
The anomaly was in what the team assumed was once a Great Hall. Old furniture still littered the room, torn, deteriorated tapestries lined the walls.
"Little fixing up and this place could pretty nice." Connor commented, pocketing the anomaly detector.
"Maybe you should lock the anomaly before anything comes through." Becker ordered, shoving the bag to Connor.
"Why can't you do it?" Connor whined.
"Because, Abby, Matt, and I are going to check for creature incursion. You stay here and watch the anomaly."
"What about me?" Jess asked eagerly.
"You can, uh—" Becker had completely forgotten that Jess had even come with them to anomaly site.
"Jess, you and Connor stay here. Keep an eye on the anomaly and see if you can find someway to get a signal through on the black boxes." Matt instructed before he, Abby, and Becker left to search the castle.
"Well, this isn't exactly what I thought it would be." Jess pouted as she stared at the door, while Connor sealed the anomaly.
"Cheer up, Jess. We'll be heading back before ya know it. Unless, you know, there are some dangerous creatures that have come through." Connor smiled as he stood and went to muse at the tapestries and the dusty ornaments that still sat on the tables.
A small breeze came through the window picking up some dust, causing Connor to sneeze.
"Gesundheit." Jess spoke, turning around.
"Thanks. German?"
"My grandmother was Dutch." Jess shrugged. "She used to say it all the time."
Connor whistled.
"Can I—can I just say that it's a bit weird that you're, ya know, here?"
Jess shot him a look, but it quickly faded as she set her EMD down on the table.
"I can't believe that I convinced Lester and Becker to let me come, only to be stuck baby-sitting an anomaly in a moldy old castle." She let out an exasperated sigh.
"And they caved so easily."
"Well, you have been badgering them about it for weeks, so—I'm just gonna shut up now." Connor said, as Jess shot him another look.
"I thought it would be more exciting than this." Jess said, staring at the EMD on the table.
"How 'bout we work on the coms, yeah?" Connor asked trying to change the subject, taking the anomaly detector out of his pocket and setting it on the table.
Connor sat down in one of the chairs, causing dust to erupt out of it like a small volcano.
Connor coughed.
Jess couldn't believe how disgustingly dirty it was here, but then again, the castle had been abandoned for quite some time.
"I am not sitting down." Jess grumbled.
"Aw, come on, Jess, live the dream!"
"I'll take my chances standing."
Suddenly the anomaly unlocked.
Jess jumped with a squeak,
"What did you do?" She asked, thinking Connor was trying to scare her.
"Nothing." Connor replied honestly.
"Then, why is it open?"
Connor stood and strolled over to the anomaly, EMD in hand, Jess close behind him.
Connor typed the keys to lock the anomaly again.
"That's really weird." He spoke, staring at the anomaly. "It's only ever done that once when two anomalies were meshed together."
"So, what's on the other side of this thing then?" Jess asked, taking a closer step toward it.
"Dunno, forgot my dating calculator at the ARC because of the rush."
The anomaly unlocked once more.
"We really should have brought two locking mechanisms." Jess commented.
"What we should've brought was backup—and a second mechanism." Connor muttered as he sealed it once more.
"I just said that." Jess crossed her arms.
"Yeah, but you didn't say—never mind," Connor stopped himself. "I don't wanna start an argument on your first day out in the field."
"I'm not such a newbie that I can't look out for myself, Connor. I've read the files."
Connor raised his hands in defeat.
"What do you suppose is on the other side? If you had to guess." Jess asked, changing the subject, turning her back to the anomaly.
"At a guess?" Connor mused. "Nothing friendly."
The anomaly unsealed again.
"What the?" Connor asked frustrated as he went to attempt to lock it once more.
Suddenly, he heard Jess screaming his name.
He looked up just in time to see her being pulled through the anomaly.
He looked around frantically. There was no time to get help or leave a note.
He pushed the button on his EMD to ready it before charging through the anomaly.
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