Chapter 4

Disclaimer: none of the characters are mine, but belong to Impossible Pictures™.

Note: spoilers for the original series.

Vancouver, British Columbia (modern times)

As they raced down one of the corridors of project Magnet, Dylan could not help but wonder as to what information she did not know. Obviously, with the colonel out of commission (even if he did survive) his second-in-command was going to take over, right? And even if Leeds wasn't out of favor for the moment, it was still unlikely that it would be him – he was just too low in the military hierarchy for that, right?

And then they arrived at the office – well, actually, it was more like another vestibule than a proper office. It was practically empty, save for few men in military uniforms, one of whom Dylan remembered very well after the failed rescue of Leggy in the Thunderdome.

"Major," she said curtly.

The man just looked at her with some disdain. However, after seeing Angelika Finch's cold fury Dylan was not impressed in any way at his attempt, so she just sat down, deciding that as a civilian woman she had certain benefits, if not privileges in this situation.

Ange, meanwhile, looked at Dylan with some honest curiosity. "You've met before?" she asked the other woman.

"Yes. He was in charge of recapturing Leggy – that's the terror bird," Dylan paused. "Oh, right, you've quit Cross Photonics before that didn't you?"

"Yes," Ange nodded. "Anyways, that's how you met?"

"Yes. When did you meet?"

"He was passing me in one of the local corridors. He had military regalia on, so I figured that he was relatively high in the local organization that is all."

Dylan paused. "He's glaring at us," she told Ange.

The other woman just gave her a Look. Dylan shrugged, gave the major an apologetic glance, and kept quiet. Having apparently exhausted this topic, Ange fell quiet as well.

For several moments the room was quiet once again, and then the colonel was wheeled in.

/

London, England (modern times)

"We're here!" Connor Temple said brightly, as he and Kieran emerged from the time anomaly – just as it closed behind them. "And we got rid of the dinosaur."

"Glad to hear this," one of his other co-workers said brightly. "Got a text from the boss – he says that there's some sort of an urgent problem back at the home base-"

Connor's phone rang. "Wait a sec," he told the other man. "Got to answer this first – hello, honey!"

"And a good day to you too, sweetie," the woman on the other end of the line most definitely was not Mrs. Temple, though Connor had no problem identifying her. "Long time no hear, eh?"

Connor fell his blood grow cold. "You! Danny told us that you were dead! As a doornail!"

"He also thought that his brother was salvageable. Boy, was he wrong on both counts! That is beside the point, though. I'm back, Mr. Temple, and you better pray that our paths do – I owe you and your blonde friend a death and a life, so be careful. Bye!"

Connor's phone went dead.

"You okay, mate?" Kieran asked his team leader with concern.

"No," Connor shook his head, "but it can wait. Let's go back to the Center, shall we?"

/

Vancouver, British Columba (modern times)

Colonel Hall was clearly a good deal worse than Toby was: if Toby was largely out of bandages by now, and hopefully off the medical support, the colonel was not. Out of bandages, that it. There were no signs of medical support, though, but he did look pale and rather ill. That said, all of the military personnel straightened to attention when he was rolled in.

"At ease," the colonel said with a slight grimace. "Major – is the report for general McKnight is ready?"

"No sir, not yet sir!" the leader of Leggy's failed captors promptly replied.

"Roger. Once it's ready I want to look it over," the colonel replied, and then he noticed Dylan. "Ms. Weir, what are you doing here, and where are your cohorts?"

"Toby is recovering, Evan is also disposed, and Mac's... gone." Dylan's voice wavered, but she did not care. "That dinosaur ate him."

"I see," it was hard to tell anything from the colonel's vocal tone. "And Evan?"

Dylan hesitated, and Leeds stepped in.

"Sir, Mr. Cross and Ms. Finch had a confrontation while you were being hospitalized. It was largely personal and Mr. Cross didn't take it well."

"Hmm." The colonel looked the younger man straight in the eye. "Go on."

"Sir, remember the discussion 3 years ago, before my demotion? It was rather like that, only more personal, and rawer."

"Hmm." The colonel shifted his gaze to Angelika. "Do you want to add anything, Ms. Finch?"

"No, save that it wasn't really about the time anomalies or dinosaur – it was about us."

"I thought that there wasn't any 'you', Ms. Finch."

"And there isn't, sir. But sometimes that sort of thing isn't necessary for a personal confrontation."

"And where is Mr. Cross now?"

"With the project's psychologist, I believe."

"Good. That woman is smart," the colonel nodded before shifting back to Weir. "That doesn't quite explain what are you doing here, Ms. Weir?"

"I don't want to be cut of the loop, colonel," Dylan said firmly. "Mac is gone, both Toby and Evan are indisposed, and we've only began to mend bridges with Angelika, so I have to be here to know what is going on."

"Nothing in particular," the colonel shrugged. "Almost half of the ribs in my body were broken and had to be reattached. Even with the physical therapy and everything else, I will be out of commission for a long time. Under regular circumstances I would transfer my responsibilities and all with a minimal fuss, but here, in project Magnet, there are not any regular circumstances, so general McKnight has to arrive and to expect the situation personally – yes, sergeant?"

"The letter is ready, colonel, sir."

"Dismissed. Everyone is dismissed," the colonel shifted abruptly before pausing. "Ms. Weir does that mean that your people will be working for project Magnet now?"

"Colonel, have you thought that perhaps your project has acquired enough... samples to satisfy your scientists for now? Do you have to kill every creature that comes through a time anomaly?" Dylan got up, ignoring everyone else.

"Good point," the colonel nodded calmly. "Plus with the current misbalanced situation in project Magnet the last thing we need is another snafu of a dinosaur-sized magnitude. Major, lieutenant, no more acquiring specimens, live or otherwise, until this situation is resolved and general McKnight gives green light. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Dismissed." And the colonel was rolled out of the vestibule.

For several moments everyone just stared at each other when Dylan's cell phone rang. "Yes?"

"Dylan, not that I'm ungrateful that Natalie is here, but how did she find out that I was here?"

"That was my doing, actually," Angelika spoke up. "I tried to contact any family that you have while you were sick, but there was only her phone number-"

"And for a good reason – I love my mother, but we haven't gotten along for a long time," Toby paused. "Um, could you get in here – slowly? Natalie and I have some things to sort through... bye for now..." she hanged up.

Almost unaware of it, Dylan could not help but to crack a smile: Toby, at least, was recovering, and colonel Hall appeared to be more cooperative than before. She did not know what it meant in the end, but right now, it looked like Evan's team was going to recover.

End