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Chapter 2: Return

"It's hard enough to know

That something's made us not the same

Did I give all I could give?

Or spend all I could spend in vain?"

-"Return" by Needtobreathe

"What the hell do you want?" Connor shouted as he threw open the door.

"I want to talk." Stephen said firmly.

"At three in the morning? I'm sure could've picked a better time, Stephen." Connor replied sardonically.

"Sorry, but it's kinda important. Can I come in?"

"Only if you plan on leaving afterwards." Connor answered dryly, as he stepped aside to allow Stephen to enter the flat.

"This is gonna seem a bit crazy, but please hear me out. There's an anomaly at the British Museum." Stephen said immediately, choosing his words.

"You're right, that does sound crazy. Get out." Connor replied flatly, as he reopened the door.

"We need you, Connor." Stephen pleaded.

Connor laughed bitterly as he shut the door and plopped down on the couch.

"And I suppose that 'we' means 'you, Jenny, and Cutter'." Connor answered, venom lining his pronunciation of Cutter's name.

"Well, yeah; but Connor, you can't stay cooped up in here forever. You're going to have to leave eventually.

"Yeah, when I'm dead." Connor muttered.

"Don't talk like that." Stephen warned.

"He really needs your help on this case. This place, where the anomaly is, it's too big for just the few of us." Stephen said after a few minutes of silence.

This caused Connor to laugh even more coldly.

"Really? He needs me?"

Stephen nodded, hoping that Connor would buy it and go with him to the British Museum before Cutter realized that he wasn't really getting stuff from storage for the mission.

"How thick do you think I am, Stephen?"

Stephen did speak.

"Where the hell were you when I said the words 'I quit' eight months ago?" Connor shouted.

Stephen struggled to come up with some that would convince Connor to go.

"Look, I understand your reasons for quitting. I—everyone misses her; but she wouldn't want you to do this to yourself."

Connor leapt to his feet grabbing hold of Stephen's shirt. "You don't know Abby as well as I did! She loved you and you were too busy with—other conquests to even notice!"

Stephen bit his tongue. It was true. He was too caught up in Helen to care about Abby's affections; but it was too late to do anything about it now. Besides, Connor was venting emotions that have probably been pent up for the past eight months.

"The reason I came to ask for your help is because there is a creature incursion and Jenny's in serious trouble. I need your help to get into the British Museum and help find her." Stephen spoke softly.

Connor released Stephen's shirt.

"Jenny?" He asked, concern lining his voice.

"Please Connor, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't serious." Stephen added, keeping his façade.

Connor looked as though he were thinking about it. He turned and changed his clothes and threw his shoes on.

"This is for Jenny, no one else, understand? Don't expect any outside help after this." Connor replied as he finished tying his shoes.

Stephen merely nodded as he led the way down to the truck.

Connor felt very strange as he and Stephen pulled up to the British Museum. One, because he had quit this job eight months ago and couldn't believe he agreed to return for this one anomaly. Two, he didn't really like museums, especially after getting locked in the toilet when he was eight years old in the very same museum.

Connor was snapped from his reveries as Stephen hesitantly handed him a gun.

"Only use it if absolutely necessary." Stephen spoke as they climbed out of the truck and entered the museum.

As they walked through the empty halls of the museum, Connor was starting to realize that something fishy was up. Stephen was walking way too casually for a creature incursion.

Connor started to hear soft echoes just ahead of them and the puzzle began to fall into place.

Stephen had lied to him.

Jenny was standing a few feet ahead of them talking to some military guy.

Jenny's eyes went wide with fear when she saw Connor and Stephen approach.

"Stephen." She hissed. "What have you done?"

Stephen didn't answer her.

"Well, I see that I'm not needed here." Connor blurted angrily. "Thanks for the field trip, Stephen. Now take me home."

The military guy that Connor had seen Jenny speaking to and his men pointed their guns at Connor, who instinctively raised his gun at them.

"Freeze!" He shouted.

"Who the hell are you?" Connor asked.

"I could ask you the same question." The military guy sneered.

"Lower your weapons." Jenny ordered.

Becker briefly looked at Jenny for confirmation. She nodded and they lowered their weapons.

"Becker, Connor. Connor, Becker." Stephen introduced.

"Connor Temple. The same Connor Temple, who resigned his position in the ARC—" Becker began to ask when Connor cut him off.

"The very same."

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave." Becker responded.

"Connor?" Came an all too familiar voice.

Connor's eyes shot up, glaring at the man he blamed for Abby's demise. The only things that had changed about him were the dark circles beneath his eyes and his slightly longer hair.

"Forget the ride Stephen, I think I'll walk." Connor replied angrily as he started to walk away.

"Wait a minute," Cutter called after him.

"I've got nothing to say to you." Connor answered, not turning to face him.

"Then why did you come?"

"Because I was told that Jenny was in a life and death situation!" Connor shouted, his voice echoing through the museum.

A roar echoed back to them.

"Oh, God." Jenny muttered.

"Right, Jenny and Becker with me. Stephen, you and Connor take some of Becker's men and investigate the other end of the museum." Cutter ordered.

"Pfft. Forget it. I didn't come here for you." Connor replied icily.

"Lives could be at stake!" Cutter argued.

"This isn't my job anymore!" Connor yelled as he approached Cutter.

"So, you came here to say that and to say that you couldn't give a damn about humanity?" Cutter asked angrily.

"I risked my life for those people! I lost one of them because of you! I don't need you telling me my morals!" Connor shouted as shoved Cutter and walked away angrily.

Cutter turned to Stephen, "are you behind this?"

Stephen didn't reply. Instead, he turned and followed Connor; several of Becker's men tagging behind them.

Next chapter, Sarah Page comes into the picture! Should be up soon!

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