Chapter 10
"When are you leaving?" Abby asked, not turning round from the pack she was filling.
"Before you get back," Connor replied, his voice a hoarse whisper.
"I'm not going to change my mind."
"No."
"Then why are you here?"
Connor shrugged, ignoring the fact that Abby had her back to him and wouldn't see the futile gesture. He sniffed and reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone.
"I got this," he said, bringing the odd message to the screen and holding the phone out to Abby.
Abby turned, her eyes avoiding his, and frowned at the mobile in his hand. She took it and read the message. Her frown deepened.
"I just wondered if you might know anything about it," Connor added as she scrolled down the message.
"Me?" Abby muttered. "No, why would I know?"
"It's an unlisted number. I just wondered if you'd passed my number on to anyone. Duncan perhaps."
"Because I invited him to your birthday party?" Abby pulled a face and handed the phone back to Connor. "I wouldn't do that and not tell you, Conn. You know that. You should know that, anyway."
"It seems I don't know that much about you any more," Connor frowned as he put the phone back in his pocket. By the time he looked up, Abby had turned back to her packing. He watched her in silence.
"Was there something else, Connor?" Abby hissed, leaning on the bench in front of her.
"Just..." Connor shook his head. "Just goodbye," he said softly. "That's all."
Abby waited until the she heard the door close and the footsteps recede, leaving her in silence once more. This time, however, it wasn't the silence of words unspoken, it was the silence of solitude and in the harsh light of the locker room, that solitude seemed more and more like loneliness. She caught her breath as a tear splashed onto her hand, unaware that it had escaped her eye, and returned her attention to tightening the straps on the pack.
XXXX
Helen gazed out of the window of the Land Rover at the hills and fields of southern England speeding by. In Cai's future, all these fields were nothing but dead, black landscapes, charred and sterilised by the use of nuclear thermal generators keeping the ice sheets back beyond the 52o North line of latitude. It was an interesting world. One she had made a thorough study of during her time there.
From the very first day Cai had spotted her wandering south across the dead surface, to the day she had persuaded the cave dwellers that she was their salvation. From the day they had agreed to follow her plan to the letter to the day they had made their first foray into the past. From the discovery of the alternative worlds and the profound effect that had had on Helen's plans, to the day they first brought someone through. All of those stages and the many others that had followed them: all led her directly to this moment, in a mud splattered old Land Rover on a road deep into the heart of rural Cornwall.
Her army was already there, waiting patiently for her arrival. All they need do now was prepare their attack and wait for the opportune moment. A moment that would be made so much sweeter and simpler by the presence of the man currently sat in the driver's seat at her right hand side.
XXXX
It was times like this that Sir James Lester missed the presence of Jenny Lewis.
Cutter, back in charge once more, had left with Becker, Barratt and Maitland and a sizeable squad of armed men. The ARC seemed somewhat depleted in their absence. They would be well on their way to the new anomaly now, with reserves to stay for at least a few days should it take that long for the anomaly to close. Lester hoped it wouldn't.
In the quiet murmur of activity that buzzed around the imploder team over at the far side of the atrium, Lester gazed at the detector screen and tried to work out how exactly he could close down one of Britain's most famous historical landmarks without anyone noticing. The answer, of course, was that he couldn't. He could merely hope and pray that the official looking white tent and the lie of structural problems would suffice to keep the press hounds at bay. It was distinctly possible, however, in view of the circumstances, that an official looking white tent would merely raise the question of something much more alluring to paparazzi: a headline grabbing murder. The question of a possible ritualistic sacrifice, or perhaps a tragic suicide pact between star-crossed lovers, could prove an even greater pull to the bloodthirsty journalist or photographer. He would have to make sure Becker extended the perimeter around this one even further than usual.
After all: how hard could it be to make Stonehenge invisible?
XXXX
Connor slumped against the wall as Peta surveyed the dismantling of the new imploder. Too many things were running through his mind. Why had Abby chosen to stay? Right when things had seemed to start going right again for them? Where had that text message come from? Who had sent it? Why? What did it mean? Was he doing the right thing? Should he be leaving with Peta and the others? Should he stay and help Cutter, and Abby? Should he tell Cutter about the message? What about Lester? It wasn't as if it was anything to do with the anomalies. Lester wouldn't be interested. Probably no point in bothering Cutter either then. But keeping it to himself bothered him. What if there was more to it? More than just a random message? But who could he talk to? Peta? Nigel? What good could they do? Becker? He would be busy with the new anomaly. Same went for the others. Duncan then? But he didn't want to bring Duncan into this. Abby had been the only person he could talk to, and now she was gone.
A sharp cough brought his attention back to the group before him. He looked up. The imploder had disappeared. For a moment, he panicked, recalling their first disastrous attempt at controlling an anomaly. Then he realised the cough had come from Peta and the imploder had merely been completely packed away for its journey to Burlawn.
"You looked a million miles away," said Peta gently. "Everyone's ready to go. Are you?"
Connor looked around the atrium of the ARC. Lester was standing with his back to them, his head tilted up to watch the movement of various indicators on the detector screen. A few other ARC pen-pushers wandered to and fro, some bringing Lester sheets of information. Others pausing to tell him something before receiving a curt order and disappearing again. This was how it was now: Connor was no longer in the midst of the action, but instead an outsider looking in. It was ridiculous to think that this change of position had made him insignificant, but that was how he felt. He was no longer a part of the team. He had his own team now, and they were waiting on him.
With a sigh, he turned to Peta and nodded.
"I'm ready," he said. "Let's go."