The fact that she was in a time dome, in France, did not seem to phase Helen Magnus, because in her primitive lab she had what had been the one constant in her life: her work. She spent her days in the lab not wanting to gain a connection to those around her. It wasn't that she was cold but more that she had a mission and when Helen Magnus had a mission she accomplished it.
Helen couldn't tell what time it was, Will had left for lunch not long ago but as she worked on the casing for their device she realized all sense of time was loss. All time would be lost when there's three years of daylight. Will had to pull her away from the lab and into bed most nights, her work ethic working against her.
Josie came in a second later and Helen turned for a second, watching the girl enter. "Hello Josie," she greeted.
"Hello Helen," returned the young girl. There was a pause as Helen continued to work, she expected Josie to do the same but she could feel the young girl watching her as she continued playing with the casing. "Helen," she began. "I want you to stop working on the machine."
"I'm sorry?" Helen questioned.
"I want you to stop working on the machine, I don't want to disappear," Josie said softly.
"I can't do that Josie, you know I can't," replied Helen.
"Helen, you don't understand!"
"I understand completely Josie, but you have to understand the world outside Carentan is in danger too! If this dome continues to exist the world will be pulled apart!"
"I don't care!" screamed Josie, pulling a revolver from her jacket.
Helen flinched at the sight of it. It wasn't the first time someone had pulled a gun on her, but she was shocked that this time it was a young girl. "Josie," she tried. "Put the gun down."
"Who the hell are you to decide who lives and who dies?" asked Josie, keeping the gun trained on Helen.
"Josie, you don't need to do this," Helen said softly.
"Yes, I do," Josie muttered.
Helen glanced around the room for a second, noticing her gun lying on the table behind Josie. Perhaps if she was quick enough she could grab it, and deftly she sprung from her chair leaping for her gun.
But she was too slow.
She heard the sound of the gun going off and then felt something tear through her abdomen sharply. Losing her footing she started to fall, landing on her side on the ground. She grimaced as she rolled onto her back, pain spreading through the rest of her body as Josie pointed the gun at her once again and pulled the trigger again, another bullet ripping through Helen's abdomen, her back arching in pain.
Josie locked eyes with Magnus. "Now you'll see what it feels like to disappear," said Josie calmly.