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Chapter 8: Justify
Lester waited patiently in the lobby outside the Minister's office. He kept his professional façade up as one of the secretaries eyed him suspiciously. Lester dreaded meetings with the Minister, only because he usually had face-to-face meetings when something had gone awry, which had happened yet again.
However, Lester was hoping that his plan with bringing Jena Veeve onto the team would soothe the Minister's anger somewhat and allow the ARC to remain open.
After this meeting, Lester had planned to make arrangements for Jena to get a flat. Jena had been staying with Sarah Page for the past few days. Surprisingly enough, there had not been any anomalies since Jena came back with him. Unfortunately, Lester had a feeling that the ARC's anomaly break would soon come to an end.
"James Lester," the secretary that had been glaring at him called.
Lester looked over to her. "Yes?"
"The Minister will see you now." She announced before pretending to type on her computer.
Lester took a deep breath before entering the Minister's office.
"So let me get this straight." Jena began as she sat in a chair in Sarah's office eating a slice of pizza.
"Actual creatures come through these 'anomalies'?" Jena asked as she glanced at the files on her lap.
"Well, yeah." Sarah replied blatantly. "Except for the one time a knight came through with a Dracorex."
"This—this is like something out of a science fiction film." Jena said, finishing her pizza and flipping through the files.
Sarah's face lit up as she seemed to remember something. "I can prove it to you."
"Really? Because, unless another anomaly is going to open right here and now, I don't see how it is possible." Jena replied, placing the files she had been studying down on Sarah's desk.
Sarah stood up and grabbed Jena's hand before dragging her out the door and down the hall.
Connor entered the cave he and Abby had found, his rucksack filled with fish he'd caught.
Abby was sitting on the ground staring at the fire emotionless.
"Abby?" Connor spoke softly as he walked further into the cave and set down the rucksack, rushing to Abby's side.
"Abby, what's wrong?" He asked when she didn't immediately answer him.
"We haven't gone home." She muttered, not tearing her eyes from the flames.
"Yeah, but we can't lose hope." Connor smiled. "We will get home, one day."
Abby turned to face Connor.
"We're stuck here, Connor. This is home now."
Connor's smile faded.
He turned and grabbed the rucksack and brought it over to show Abby.
"Look, fishes were bitin' today." He smiled, trying to change the mood.
"How long do you think we'll survive out here, Connor?" Abby asked.
Connor wrapped an arm around her. They'd been stuck in the Cretaceous for nearly four months and no anomaly had opened.
"Let's not think about suck dreary things, yeah?"
Abby looked at Connor. Since they'd had been trapped in the Cretaceous, Connor had changed little compared to her. He was still the caring, goofy flatmate she lived with. She, on the other hand, had become more focused on survival and trying to get Connor focused on defending himself.
"I am going to cook you a dinner fit for a queen." Connor smiled as he took the fish from the bag.
"Connor, we have to make this food last." Abby reminded him. "Tomorrow we have to go find some more bulbs and roots."
"Yummy." Connor muttered sarcastically.
They had been lucky to have found the fish, but Connor had still not attained an appetite for the grub, roots, and bulbs like Abby had adjusted to.
Connor tried to keep hope that an anomaly would open soon, but Abby was already losing faith that they'd leave. Still, as long as he was with Abby and they were both alive and well, Connor would be content; even if it did mean being stuck living millions of years in the past.
Sarah led Jena to the creature pen where the creature pen, where the mammoth and the Dracorex were being kept.
As they entered the room, Jena's hand flew up to her nose.
"What is that smell?" Jena asked.
"I guess maintenance hasn't been in yet today." Sarah muttered.
"Anyways," Sarah said as she grabbed the controller that turned on the lights to the pens, which contained the Dracorex and the mammoth.
"Here are some of the creatures that got stuck this side of the anomalies." Sarah announced.
Jena stood in amusement as the creatures roared.
"This is not possible." Jena said as she slowly approached the creatures.
"This changes everything that I've ever learned!" Jena gasped.
"Pretty cool? Isn't it?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah. I guess, not all of Connor's conspiracy theories were crazy." Jena muttered.
Jena had still not revealed the story behind her encounter with the anomaly and the Smilodon to the others, for reasons she couldn't explain, even to herself.
"Connor's theories?" Sarah asked, snapping Jena from her thoughts.
"When we went to university together, before I went abroad, Connor, Tom, Duncan, and I, we'd hang out and they would toss out conspiracy theories and I would try to disprove them."
"Which is why you got in trouble abroad."
Jena shrugged. "Can't resist a good challenge. Of course, there were some theories I couldn't disprove; and it was all in good fun, but we stayed good friends, even though Connor was the only one, who kept in touch after I left."
"James, I didn't expect to see you so soon." The Minister greeted. "How've you been?"
"I've had better days. How are you, sir?" Lester replied with a slight smile as he took a seat across from the Minister.
"Can't complain. Though, I am curious as to why you've been neglecting my phone calls." The Minister answered.
"There is a reason behind my recent actions and the purpose of my visit, sir." Lester explained.
"Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asked folding his hands on the desk.
"We have a slight problem at the ARC that I have been doing my best to correct." Lester began.
"What sort of problem?"
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