Earth – New Beginning
Dragonlots aka Dana Bell
Chapter 9: New Threat
Jim heard Zoe screaming. Elisabeth gasped and they rushed together to their front door, the blinding rain slowing their pace. He pushed his wife against the wall motioning for her and Skye to stay put.
Heart pounding, he edged the door open, gun in hand. Creeping inside, it took only a moment to realize the back door had been trashed and a bright colored creature stalked inside. The girl's bedroom door was closed and the dinosaur rammed its body against it.
The door snapped and the creature tried again. Both girls screamed.
"Oh, no, you don't." He aimed his weapon to fire.
He felt a warmth brush against his leg and froze, as the Sheba the sabre cat rushed past him and sprang at the reptile. It shrieked in terror and made a wild dash for freedom. It didn't make it. She caught the bipedal reptile and got a strangle hold on its neck. After several long moments, it stopped moving.
"Mr. Shannon!" Laura Collins ran inside. Her dark red hair dripped on her cloak.
"Sheba. Outside."
The cat growled at her.
"Outside!" she ordered again, pointing to the opening behind the huge cat.
Reluctantly, Sheba got to her paws, her nails clicking on the floor. She dragged the dead dinosaur out through the way it clawed its way in.
He looked at the woman. "What the hell just happened?"
"Sheba did what I trained her to do."
Before he could ask for more information Elisabeth and Skye darted in, his wife hurrying to the girl's bedroom. They rushed out into their mother's arms, sobbing.
"She saved their lives," Laura informed him. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go track her." She moved toward the back of his home.
"Thank you." He could have lost his daughters. Forcing himself to relax, he put his gun away.
Laura paused and nodded. "You're welcome. She's been restless for several hours until she suddenly growled and ran out. I followed."
"Can you control her?"
"Not when she gets like this. Instinct takes over." Laura took a deep breath. "She'll feed on it for a couple of days and then come home." She pulled her hood up over her head. "I just need to make certain she's not disturbed."
Skye shivered. "I don't see how you can live with a wild animal."
"I can because I remember every day, that she is one." She slipped outside.
Rain began to seep inside, soaking the floor.
"Mr. Shannon?" Skye glanced at him.
He shook his head. "Right. Let's see if we can find a way to temporarily fix the damage until a repair crew can arrive.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Laura knocked on her cousin's door. His rich British accent bade her enter and she opened the door, a bit surprised he had the back window open. Granted, the rain darkened the sky making it a bit safer for him.
"Sure that's safe?" she asked as she hung up her cloak next to the door. It dripped on the floor.
"Safer than covering myself when the sun is out." He put his hand out and the water collected in his palm. He dumped the liquid outside. "For me, this is a rare pleasure."
His manner seemed off and she sensed a possible problem. "Want to talk about it?"
"I'd promised to never kill another human."
She moved to his side, lightly touching his shoulder. His clothes were damp and she wondered how long he'd been sitting there. "No one would fault you." He'd admitted to her Lucas Taylor would no longer be problem, although not exactly what had happened.
His shoulders slumped. "I returned to his grave. He dug himself out."
"Did you…I mean…" Laura had no idea how to ask.
"I did what I knew to do." Lightening flashed across the sky, briefly lighting up the room. "I have no idea how." Her cousin shook his head. "I now have to hunt and destroy him before he realizes what he is."
"His first target will be either his father or Skye."
"I know." He rose, shrugging off her touch. "Tell everyone I have gone OTG."
"Of course." She watched as he closed and secured the window. "Depending on what happens, I may or may not be back." His eyes fixed on hers. "You remember how to defend yourself?"
"You taught me well."
"Good." He moved to the door and tossed on his long coat. His pale fingers closed on his silver wolf headed cane.
"You're leaving now?" Laura wanted to stop him, yet knew nothing she said would prevent him from leaving.
"The sooner I do so, the less danger Lucas Taylor will pose to the colony."
"He's not the only danger. What about the aliens who arrived that we know nothing about."
A slight smile touched his lips. "A long time ago, I sat on the board that oversaw financing for the Phoenix Foundation. They had numerous government contracts including one with Stargate Command."
"You never talk about it." Laura knew very little about his past.
"On the shelf," he pointed to the one behind her, "are my diaries. Feel free to read them."
She glanced at the shelf, feeling uneasy. "What do I tell them if you don't come back?"
"That I grew tired of living."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A banging on their door caused Jim to frown. He answered, a bit surprised to find Commander Taylor standing there.
"Mind if I come in? It's a bit wet out here?"
"Sorry." He motioned the older man inside.
Shannon didn't miss Taylor's quick assessment of the damage and their creative solution for the damaged back door.
"I've gotten reports from all over the colony. These creatures broke into several homes." Taylor's expression grew grim. "We lost a few people."
"Damn."
"What happened here?"
Quickly he filled the commander in while they sat at the table. "We owe our lives to that sabre cat."
Elisabeth exited their bedroom, closing the door behind her. "I finally got the girls to sleep. Skye, too. Hello, Commander."
"Dr. Shannon." Taylor sat back slightly, his finger rubbing on his chin. "As I remember, both Maddy and Zoe had a hand it raising Sheba."
"They did," Elisabeth agreed, sitting next to her husband. "I know Zoe visits Laura a lot. Maddy hasn't since Alona Jackson offered her an apprenticeship."
"Seems Malcom neglected to let me know." He chuckled. "How does she like it?"
Jim laughed. "Better than working for Dr. McKay."
Taylor sighed. "I've suggested to Dr. Wallace that he stop assigning her apprentices."
"She is abrasive," Elisabeth agreed. "Sort of like Malcom at times."
"Worse. You said Skye is here?"
"She's staying the night."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," Jim answered. He knew Skye was like a daughter to Taylor.
Thunder shook the house and the rain intensified, almost making conversation impossible.
"I'd better go." Taylor rose and Jim started to get up as well. "Best stay here, Shannon. Your family needs you."
He nodded. The commander pulled on a plastic jacket and let himself out.
Jim put an arm around his wife. "You stay with the girls tonight. I'll sleep out here." He kissed her.
"Knew I married you for a reason."
"You have lots of those."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The rain, he was used to. Barnabas had grown up in Maine during a time when the Mini Ice Age had been going on. Not that historians ever made known that fact. He'd discovered it quite by accident and it explained the wild weather patterns and cold temperatures they had endured during the late seventeen hundreds.
He glanced back at Terra Nova, barely able to see the tall fences. Thick liquid dropped continually from the sky. He'd never seen anything like it and had no comparison.
With a sigh, he headed toward the Badlands. If Lucas Taylor escaped anywhere, he would go there, feeling he would be safe with the Phoenix Group and the Sixers.
Truth was, and Barnabas grinned, Lucas Taylor was not safe anywhere.
