1710 Words

Chapter Twenty-Five: Redeemed

Becker sat alone, tensely waiting in silence. Then he looked over and saw that Dale and Lori were tense too. He waved them over. They exchanged glances and then they came over.

Lori said. "You look good. How do you feel?"

"Much better, too much actually, I have to remind myself I'm not up to 100 percent yet," said Becker.

Dale nodded. "It must be hard, not going with them."

Becker nodded. "It's very hard, especially because they're all close friends."

"And of course, Jess," said Lori.

Becker smiled and nodded.

"So how do you do it?" asked Dale. "How do you talk yourself into just…waiting?"

Becker laughed. "I know I'm not up to par. I'm slower, sore, and my chest still hurts when I move a certain way. All of those things remind me that I'm in no condition to join. I might hurt someone."

Dale and Lori nodded.

"It's not easy though, to just hang back," said Becker. "I have to trust them; trust that they can handle themselves. Trust Jess to stay back, and follow the others' leads."

"I don't' suppose there is a class that teaches that?" joked Dale.

Becker smiled. "No."

Just then Tori and Jess burst through.

"What's wrong?" asked Becker immediately. "Are you hurt?"

The girls shook their heads. "Something is interfering with communications," said Jess. "We can't call in to the ARC. I came back here, because we had signal here."

"Where's Nancy and Ray?" asked Lori.

"We're setting up a sort of chain," said Tori. "Ray shouts information to Nancy and she to me. I need to get back out. OK, Jess?"

Jess nodded. Tori stood outside the door.

"Why did she ask if you're OK?"

"I'm fine, Becker. I tripped, that's all."

"Over a creature?"

Jess giggled. "No. There were several small herbivores. Connor hasn't id'd them yet, but in the hurry to corral them, Emily accidentally bumped into me and I fell. I'm fine. I just hurt my ankle."

"Sit down, Jess," said Dale.

"I'll get some ice," said Lori.

Becker sat her down beside him. "It doesn't look bruised."

"It's not. It does hurt a little though. Matt thought I'd be more useful here, and I could get off my leg. Abby insisted Tori help me."

Becker smiled. "Good."

"Here's the ice," said Lori.

"Thanks," said Jess.

Tori stuck her head in. "Jess, Nancy says another anomaly has opened, not ten feet from the first."

"Weird,' said Jess, calling up the ARC on her laptop. "I have signal."

"Weird," said Tori. "They still don't."

"OK. Good job, Tori. The ARC needs to know that this anomaly is wonky," said Jess.

Becker chuckled. "I love your phrases."

"Hold on," said Tori. "Nancy's running this way."

Becker got up and moved to the door.

Nancy soon appeared, huffing and puffing. "First anomaly is closed," she said, gasping for air. "Connor…"

"Take a breath, Nancy," said Becker.

She nodded. "Connor says they're somehow related, maybe even bits of the same anomaly. He says the time readings on the anomalies are the same, so are the creatures. Too much of a coincidence."

"How many more creatures?" asked Becker.

Nancy nodded. "Dozens of them; the small rat and badger like creatures. We may be overran."

"Dale, get outside, watch to see if they come. Tori, can you run back to Ray or whoever is next in the link?"

"Yes, Becker," she said and took off. Nancy sat next to Jess.

"The ARC is having trouble fixing a lock on the anomaly," said Jess. "Some kind of electrical interference says Swinton."

"Are you having trouble with the portable ADD?"

Jess shook her head. "No. It's registering the anomaly well."

"Must be because we're so close."

"Becker!" called Dale. "He lowered his voice. We've got creatures coming this way."

Tori appeared. "They're right behind me. Nancy, Ray's inside the shoe store two doors down. He's Ok."

"Thank you dear."

"Dale. Keep the doors closed," said Becker. "No one out. Let people in if you can, but no animals."

Dale nodded.

"I'll pass the word for everyone in here to stay calm," said Nancy. "Lori, Tori help me."

They nodded.

"Lt. Royce is nearly here," said Jess.

Becker nodded. He walked to the window. "Damn. I see pedestrians outside." He winced with pain. "Dale, you have to warn them, but you might not get back before the creatures reach us."

"I'll be OK, Becker. You take it easy," he said.

"Baby, come sit," said Jess.

Becker nodded.

Behind them, Dale rushed out, yelling at three people on the street to get indoors. The creatures had reached them, and one lady fell. Dale kicked the small wombat like creatures, and pushed the woman inside.

Dale waved to Becker across the street. "He's safe."

"But staying there," said Jess. "Smart."

Becker nodded. "Idiot Dale would have tried to run across the swarm."

He stood up but Jess grabbed his arm. "Honey, no. You've exerted yourself too much as it is."

"I need to see where they're going."

"I'll look, Becker," said Tori. "You sit down."

"You aren't up to normal, remember?" asked Lori smiling.

"The things are just kind of standing there," said Tori. "A car drove by and scared them. They're afraid to move."

Zap!

"You're people have arrived!" cried Tori.

More EMD fire was heard. Lori stood at the window with Tori. "The things are dropping."

The girls giggled. "I think the incursion is handled, Captain," said Lori.

"Good," said Becker.

"The readings are stabilizing," said Jess. "I wonder if the phones are working closer to the anomaly now."

"Ooh! Who's that?" asked Lori, gesturing to a soldier.

"He's cute!" agreed Tori.

Becker chuckled. "You're fickle."

Lori laughed. "You're taken."

"He is," said Jess. "Leave them alone Becker."

"Becker, who is that?" asked Tori, nodding to the man coming inside.

"Hey, Cap, how's it going?"

Becker laughed. "Fine Royce. You?"

"Bit busy, but as creatures go, prehistoric rat-badger things aren't a problem."

Becker nodded. "Good. Oh, Lt. meet some ARC Outreach volunteers. This is Tori and that's Lori."

"Hi," said the girls in unison.

"Ladies," said Royce, tipping his hat. "Excuse me, Captain, I'll just find Anderson then."

"Yeah. I'm not on duty. Technically."

Jess raised her eyebrow. "There's no 'technically.' You're on medical leave. Period."

Royce laughed. "I'd obey the boss, Captain," he said, gesturing to Jess. "I'll let you know when it's all clear."

"Thanks," said Becker. Royce left.

Seeing Lori and Tori's excitement, Jess whispered, "He's single."

The ladies smiled and giggled.

"Everyone alright over here?" asked Mrs. Burr.

"Fine," said the girls.

"Yes," said Jess.

Becker nodded.

"OK, I think I'll venture out," said Nancy. "The creatures are still."

"Be careful," said Becker.

"Nancy, I'm coming with you. Today is my volunteer day and well, I'm volunteering."

Nancy laughed. "Fine, but you're still being mentored."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'll see that everyone stays calm inside," said Lori.

"Is it just me or are the young volunteers more mature?" asked Becker.

"It isn't you," said Jess smiling. "Now that they're crushing on someone else, I like them much better."

Becker nodded. "Now if we can just find someone for Dale to swoon over."

Jess giggled. She heard a voice over comms. "Swinton? Do you have contact yet with Matt and the team? Excellent. Maybe the crisis is over."

"Here comes Dale," said Becker. "Good work."

Dale shrugged. "People could have been hurt."

"They weren't, thanks to you and neither was I. You were here to keep me from doing too much," said Becker.

Jess giggled. "Now who's mature?"

Becker's eyebrow rose. "Jess, I'm always mature."

A few minutes later Tori, the Burrs and Abby appeared.

"That was fun," said Ray.

"It was?" asked Nancy. "I was concerned."

"Sorry, love," said Ray. "Did Tori give you the message?"

"She did but I was still worried."

Abby laughed. "Well, we're getting things under control. The creatures are going in the anomaly as we speak," said Abby. "It was weird though."

"What does Matt think happened?" asked Jess.

"Some sort of lightning storm that got transmitted with the anomaly. He thinks."

"Wow. That's weird," said Jess.

"Is prehistoric lightning the same as our lightning?" asked Becker. "I mean, it isn't going to blast us into another time or something is it?"

Abby laughed. "You're off duty for a while and you start to sound like Connor."

"Take it back, Abigail."

Jess giggled. "There he is, Matt and Emily too."

"How is that for weird?" asked Connor. "If lightning is traveling with the anomalies now, I want to do some time experiments. Maybe a wormhole tunnel is forming."

"See?" asked Abby. "You sound just like him, Becker."

"Shut up Abby."

"Well, that was interesting, but I think the crisis is over," said Matt. "Royce is stationing some men, in case the anomaly does weird things again."

"Good," said Becker. He looked at Lori and Dale. "They did a real good job in here."

Matt smiled. "So did Tori. I'm telling Lester, but you'll remain on probation."

"That's Ok," said Lori.

"We still have lots to learn," said Tori.

"Plus we like hanging out with our Outreach buddies," said Dale.

"OK. As Mr. Anderson said, crisis is over. So, I want you all back laughing, talking and most of all drinking," said Ray Burr. "This is our pub, we give the orders and we want your money!"

"You got it, Mr. Burr," said Becker.

"Just the spice ale, Captain," said Nancy. "Sorry."

Jess giggled.

"When is medical leave over?" asked Becker.

"Soon," said Jess.

"Not soon enough," said Becker.

"Just think of the new volunteer training, and it will cheer you up."

"You're kidding," said Ray. "I thought you were done with training."

Becker smiled.

"These will be military," said Matt.

"Fresh meat."

"Becker, stop calling them that, seriously!" cried Jess.

"I love you guys," said Ray. "But I'm glad you won't be tenderizing us anymore."

They laughed.

"Clever," said Connor. "But Becker is never tender."

"Never."

Jess smirked. She wrapped her arm in his, stood on tip-toes and kissed his neck.

Becker turned red and wore a goofy grin. "OK, almost never," he said.

The End

Author's Note: There will be a military trainees story.