It was over a month later, and Jess had since accepted a job as a shopgirl to pay the bills. She'd certainly written off the ARC interview. Needless to say, she was surprised when she found she had a voicemail from James Lester.
"Miss Parker," she could hear his sneer through the phone, "If you're still available I'd love to have you as team coordinator for the ARC." He left his number. She considered it. Since university and her internship, she'd been bored out of her mind. Being exceptionally bright for her age, and skipped forward in school, she hadn't had an easy time making friends. And now she was having trouble finding a job despite her degree. She was 19 years old, after all. The truth was, she needed the job at the ARC. Her life was boring her to death. She called Lester back and told him so, in much different words.
It was only her second day on the job that she began to question her judgement. Shopgirls, after all, weren't sitting alone all day in an empty compound where the only other living creatures are prehistoric monsters. OK, she had to admit that they weren't particularly monstrous. The mammoth just seemed to not know it's size and the little flying lizard seemed particularly eager for company.
Lester had hired her as a team coordinator, but she had no team as of yet. He was in the process of hiring a team leader, was attempting to woo the former security captain back from resignation, and the other teammates were dead or missing.
She found a way to occupy her time that was actual helpful to her job performance. She found detailed files on all of the old team members. She started with Nick Cutter, pouring through the files as though they were a soap opera. Thought his wife was dead, then she shows up 8 years later, an evil time-traveling maniac. Was convinced that the world changed while he was in the past, fixating on one missing person. Killed by his own wife.
Then there was Stephen Hart. Cutter's "research assistant" and general badass. Slept with Cutter's wife before and after she became evil. Sacrificed himself for the mission.
"What a bitch," Jess said under her breath.
"Who's that?" Lester asked, breezing in. Jess jumped.
"I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty to start reading the personnel files. It is essential for me to do my job, and I was bored out of my mind," she said candidly. He smirked.
"You have full access to the files, Miss Parker. I can imagine why you'd want to study them. And agree that it's a better use of your time than-" he glanced at her computer screen, "ridiculous shoes dot com." She blushed a bit. "Who's the bitch, then?"
"Helen Cutter," she said in a quiet voice, as if saying it too loud would summon her.
"Well..." Lester began, "yes. Total bitch."
After Lester left, she returned to her reading. She was so lonely that it felt good getting to know her teammates, albeit in print.
Connor Temple's file. Of course Jess had heard of him, being a tech wiz in her own right. He started working for the ARC while still at university, a student of Cutter's, and quickly grew to become a pivotal team member, building the prototype for the ADD system Jess would be working on all day. He was also missing at present.
So was Abby Maitland. She'd been a local zookeeper whose love of reptiles got her thoroughly mixed up with Cutter's research. Beauty, brains, and good in a fight.
Also missing was Danny Quinn, a man who learned the truth about the anomalies and creatures and couldn't not help. He led Abby and Connor into the future, to stop Helen before she could poison the hominids and prevent the evolution of man.
"Again, bitch." Jess muttered. Danny, Abby, and Connor never returned. ARC funding was immediately cut, and Lester to try to rebuild with a new private investor.
There was an impressive file for Dr. Sarah Paige. PhD in Egyptology, plentiful experience in archeological digs, position at the British Museum. A real get for Cutter's team. Killed just months ago in an expedition trying to find her missing teammates.
The next file was for Captain Hilary Becker, the head of security, hired after Stephen's death to prevent any more deaths. Her breath caught at his enclosed photograph. She smiled goofily and read eagerly but felt as though she learned little. Military background, even temper, likes guns. No mention of personal life at all other than his military family. She frowned. Well, she'd just have to find out for herself.
At Lester's recommendation, Jess found a new apartment, easily 5 times the size of her old one for the same price. While she really couldn't comprehend why the price was so low, she didn't dare second guess her luck. She settled into the huge white space, infusing small pops of color as it suited her vision. The place was a dream, but she often wished she had a roommate to come home to. Lester dismissed this idea, sure that the roommate would eventually discover Jess' sensitive line of work. For some reason, Jess didn't mind his unsolicited advice.
