Chapter Three, Armageddon

After a few moments silence, Matt said, "Right, let's focus, people. We're trapped, for now. What can we do from here?"

"Contact emergency units and help direct them," said Jess.

"Tell them what they're up against," said Connor.

"Like noise draws future predators," said Becker.

"Send them the high-frequency signal," said Jess.

"Tell them how to use it," said Abby, "that it only stuns the predators."

"Are there any locking devices on the outside?" asked Emily.

Matt nodded. "Yes, for emergency. Jess, you have that information."

She nodded, but kept her hands flying over the laptop. "Sending that information to emergency units. How much do I tell them?" she asked.

Matt sighed. "Tell the leaders everything. Let them decide what to tell the troops."

Becker took in a deep breath. "While we sit and wait?"

"No, Becker," said Matt. "Coordinate with maintenance nd engineering. Take their advice, and if its safe, start digging."

"Right," said Becker. "Jess, are comms working?"

She smiled. "Yes."

"OK, keep me advised on the creatures outside the ARC."

"I will," she said. He smiled at her and left.

"OK, Jess, is anyone trying to contact us?"

Jess laughed. "Are they."

"Use your discretion and sort through them. Contact those who can help or who we can help

advise."

"Got it."

"Abby, what's the menagerie's condition?"

"Stable. No obvious structural damage, and all the security measures are in working order. The animals are a little shaken, but fine."

"Good."

"Matt, I've got a General Augin on the phone," said Jess. "You really need to speak to him. It's about Lester."

(Flashback) What happened to Lester?

While the team had first been handling the the predators, Lester had gone to his office,

and right to the phone. He cut through the bureaucracy and went to the man he needed.

"General Augin? Augie! James Lester. How are you, old man? Me, not so good. I have an emergency, actually it's more than that. We're being invaded. There is an anomaly just outside the ARC, and through it is an unending deluge of future predators."

"That's right, Augie, future predators. You've been briefed, but do you understand how deadly they are? Good. We are cut off and cannot close the anomaly. I need you to do it."

"I know you have locking devices, but I don't know if you've been briefed on using...Oh, good. Yes, please hurry. I am taking significant casualties. Augie, they must be stopped. They are killing machines. Yes, I'd say at all costs. I know, me too. Thank you. Good luck, Augie."

He hung his phone up, and straightened his tie. He took a quick shot of whiskey for courage. This might be the worse day the ARC had ever seen. It might be the last day.

He steadied himself, and approached his door. He heard rumbling, and shaking. Then the ceiling fell down on top of him.

Lester was shaken awake. He realized he was being spoken to. He opened his eyes but couldn't see much but black and dust.

"Are you alright, sir? Can you hear me?"

He nodded. He was lifted up and placed on a gurney. He looked up and saw a wall of debris where his office had been.

"Good lord," he said. "Is everyone alright?"

"We don't know," said the rescuer. "We don't have that information. Please lie still."

"I hope everyone is fine," he muttered.

Lester's stretcher was dragged over debris, and finally he came out to see the setting sun. How long had he been unconscious, he wondered. It couldn't be evening already.

As the litter walked, he looked around. He didn't recognize his own car park. It was littered with bodies, both human and predator. There were emergency vehicles, and he thought he heard helicopters over head.

The litter was put down, and General Augin appeared.

"How is it James?" he asked kindly.

Lester smiled. "Damned inconvenient. My people?"

"Trapped, but as far as we've been able to tell, the majority are alive and well."

"Really? You aren't trying to keep me from the truth, are you?"

Augie, a big, robust man of about fifty, smiled. "The truth is I've been communicating with a young woman named Jess. She was very worried about you."

"Is she alright?"

"Yes, she tells me that they've had lots of injuries, and sadly, quite a few casualties. She wanted me to assure you that the main team is alive and well."

James Lester lay still. He sighed, and then he laughed. "Thank God."

Augie chuckled. "We're coordinating with your man Anderson, and trying to chip our way through to your people. Even trapped they're helping us fight the creatures. Oh, by the way, the predators are formidable, but a tank makes minced pie of them, once they're stunned, of course."

"Please don't tell my chief of security that."

"Come on, James," said Augie with a laugh. "Let's get you checked out, then the minister would like a word. I hate to lay this on you, but the whole city's a glow with those shimmering lights."

Lester groaned. "Don't suppose you have any whiskey on you?"

Augie smiled and passed him a flask.

Jess tried to keep from panicking. So many creatures. Not as many anomalies as during convergence, but too many for the few locking devices kept outside the ARC.

She happily took a phone call, glad to have contact. She held the phone to the side. "I'm talking to a General Augin," she said, "he reports that the Royal Air Force is scrambling to take down the pterosaurs, however they are concerned about the creatures plummeting down onto the population."

"Right, tell them to try to chase the pterosaurs over water or a park or something," said Matt.

"That's what they're thinking," she said. "The crews are still working to get inside, but they are going slowly to prevent further damage."

She went back to the phone, listening, and then she squealed. After apologizing for hurting the general's ear, she said excitedly, "They found five survivors, including Lester!"

The team cheered, and Abby kissed Connor. Emily hugged Matt.

"He's scratched up, but fine!" she cried.

"That's great, Jess. We can watch things here," said Matt. "Go tell Becker."

Jess smiled and jumped up, running to find her boyfriend.

Becker's men were slowly pulling wreckage away. Becker was standing back, talking with engineers.

"Becker! Lester's alive! He's OK!" she yelled, running past wreckage and jumping into his arms as the workers around them cheered.

"That's brilliant," said Becker. She looked at his tired, emotionally drained face. "Anyone else?"

"Four so far."

"That's good. Casualties?"

Jess frowned. "I...you don't need to know..."

"Tell me. How many more dead?"

Jess sighed. "They found three security guards, two office workers, and...Lester's secretary."

"Alice?"

Jess nodded, brushing tears from her red eyes.

Becker pulled her close. "I'm sorry."

"Don't," she said. "We're alive. There are many, many of us still alive."

He nodded.

"Sir, we're hearing sounds on the other side," said a soldier.

Jess held her breath.

"Predators?" he asked.

The soldier smiled. "No sir, machines, and voices. It's the rescuers."

Jess smiled and hugged Becker again.

But the celebration was short lived, as sirens sounded from the labs.

"Keep working, and stay alert," he yelled at the men as he and Jess ran to the lab.

End of Chapter Three