"I'm gonna kill you, Connor Temple!" Abby's shriek was clearly audible, reverberating in the excellent acoustics that seemed to be inherent of all underground car parks. Stephen and Cutter, who were repacking up the tranquiliser kits they kept in each vehicle, both turned to look as she came tearing out of the ARC, hot on the heels of a fleeing Connor.
"Anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering, Abby," Connor found the breath to shout back. The young man had a panicked look on his face, but insofar he was keeping up a good run.
Abby, though, seemed quite determined to catch him. "Get back here, right now before I shoot you!"
"Strike me down, and I will become more powerful than you could possible imagine," he warned, apparently some last-ditch attempt at reasoning.
Abby wasn't hearing it, though. Cutter and Stephen both watched with amusement as she chased him 'round the Hilux. "Get back here! Come here, you bloody geek, you're dead meat! I'm gonna chop you up and feed you to Rex!" she shouted. For a moment, they both paused in the middle of the car park between the rows of spaces, standing about two metres apart, eyeing each other up as if trying to figure out just who was going to blink first, slowly circling each other.
"Oh, when she is angry, she is keen and shrewd. She was a vixen when she went to school, and though she be but little, she is fierce," Connor panted quietly as he took countersteps to the ones Abby made towards him, her little fists clenched.
"You're damn right about that, Connor! I'm gonna punch your bloody lights out for what you did to my flat!" she snapped, taking on a boxing stance. "Now get over here and stop movin' around!"
"Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray. My legs are longer though, to run away!" he replied flippantly, turning on heel and bolting for it with remarkable alacrity.
"Get back here, Connor Temple!" Abby shrieked as she made after him.
Professor and tracker watched them go. Cutter gave his head a shake. "Well, you've got to admire a man who can quote Star Wars and Shakespeare in the same conversation."
"At least we know he's well-read," Stephen agreed, then mused, "What do you think he did to the flat?"
The Scotsman shrugged. "Haven't the foggiest clue. With Connor, it could be anything."
Stephen listened to the fading sound of shouting and cursing, then shook his head. "Hope she doesn't actually kill him. We still need him to fix the ADD."