-Chapter 2-
A brilliant, fragmented sphere of light suddenly burst forth in front of them. Connor glanced at Abby again, and they stepped through the anomaly together.
It was much brighter on the other side, and they stood blinking in the sunlight for a few moments while their eyes adjusted. They eventually started to make out their surroundings, but there wasn't much to see.
Connor scanned the barren, rocky environment for signs of life while Abby knelt to look for footprints.
"Someone's definitely been here," she said without looking up. "There are tracks everywhere, all confused and overlapping. I can't tell which way they went."
Connor squinted toward a cliff face that was shadowed by the rising sun. "I think there's something moving around in there."
"Ey?" Abby stood and peered in the direction he was looking, shadowing her eyes with her hand.
"I think it's… a person."
Abby was about to suggest that they take cover so the mysterious figure wouldn't see them before they identified it, when suddenly they heard a familiar voice shout their names.
"It's Danny!" Connor exclaimed, and ran as best as his ankle would allow to meet Danny as he climbed down from the outcropping.
"Boy am I glad to see you two," Danny said as Abby hugged him enthusiastically. "Company's been rather bleak out here."
Now that they knew Danny was unharmed, Connor starting looking around warily as if expecting an attack from the bushes. "Where's Helen?"
"Dead."
"Oh. Can't say I'm heartbroken, but…"
Danny let out a harsh laugh, knowing exactly what he meant.
"Connor, is the device still working?" Abby asked suddenly.
"Uh… nope." He smacked the gadget with the palm of his hand. "I think opening the anomaly must have drained the last of its power supply."
"That anomaly doesn't stay open for long on its own," Danny said. "Found that out the hard way."
"Okay, let's go." Abby began to turn around.
Just then, the tone of the anomaly detector in Connor's pocket changed and the sphere's light began to dim.
"It's closing!" Danny yelled as the other two spun in the anomaly's direction. They began to run. They were only a few meters away, but the terrain was rough and the light was flickering erratically now.
Suddenly Connor fell, his bad ankle giving out as he struggled to keep up with the others. Danny and Abby each grabbed an arm and practically leapt through the anomaly, dragging Connor with them. As they hit the ground on the other side, the light flashed bright and then went out.
o0o
Becker inspected the camp's security, posting additional soldiers at the main entrance and checking that the sonar-detecting oscilloscope was functioning properly. The abandoned two-story building they'd established as base of operations was not as sound as he would have liked, but it would have to do.
Lester had finally convinced the Minister to send as many men as could be spared for the operation, and a rough plan was quickly outlined based on what Becker had seen during his previous excursion through the Future anomaly. The troops were then assembled at the racetrack garage where the anomaly was located, and after a camera had been sent through to ensure there was no immediate threat, they began to march.
Any piece of weaponry that would fit through the flickering orb was brought in; everything from semiautomatic rifles to anti-aircraft missiles. There would be other vermin to deal with besides the Future Predators, but most of their strategy was focused on defending themselves from the deformed ape-like creatures.
Four search parties were sent after Danny, Connor, and Abby in different directions. Several other teams kept watch on the perimeter of the camp, and the rest of the men focused on soundproofing the building as best they could against the Predators' bat-like senses.
They'd had little trouble so far, mostly from the 2 meter long flying insects that had been nesting on the far side of the building. The bugs weren't difficult to dispatch. There were no casualties among Becker's men as of yet, and no sign of the Predators, although the sonar detector had gone off briefly just after they'd arrived.
The search parties soon returned with the shotgun Becker had given to Danny, but no sign of where the ex-cop or his young companions had disappeared to. He would send another team out in an hour's time. There was no activity on the oscilloscope or anomaly detectors, so the soldiers took their positions near slits in the blocked up windows to wait, silently watching the shadows for signs of movement.
o0o
Sarah checked her watch for the umpteenth time.
Becker had been gone since sunset the day before, and the others had been gone nearly 24 hours now. She chewed her finger nervously and paced in front of the locked anomaly. It had been her idea to lock it again, opening it for ten minutes every hour to see if anyone came through, but there had been no sign of her friends hour after hour and she was beyond worried.
She knew the anomaly had to stay locked as much as possible. Not only did it keep the Predators from getting through, but locking the anomalies was also the only way they'd found - besides Helen's mysterious new device - to keep them open longer. It was hard to lock the anomaly knowing her friends were somewhere on the other side, but it would be worse if it should close completely before they got back.
She checked her watch one more time.
Finally! Sarah turned to the soldier next to her.
"It's time."
The soldier nodded and his team raised their weapons as Sarah positioned her hand over the locking device. She counted to three aloud and pressed the button.
The round ball of light in front of her pulsed and hummed as electricity pumped into it and caused it to grow, shards of light shooting out in all directions as the anomaly unlocked.
Sarah stepped around the machine, searching through the uneven light hopefully. Five minutes passed. Then seven. Then nine. Finally the time was up. Crushed with disappointment and concern, Sarah slumped into a chair behind the soldiers and relocked the anomaly.
Then she checked her watch.