So sorry it's taken me so long to update, what with the hols, coursework and being ill I just ran out of time to write :( But here we go! Two chapters in one night will hopefully be enough for you to forgive me. Even though I'm not really pleased with this one, and the next chapter is extremely short. Oh well. Enjoy anyway.
"So, we've done the arguing, the fighting, the becoming friends, the bed building, the bonding over the TV," Ben ticked off on his fingers, grinning at Becker as he said the last one, causing him to scowl. "What're we doing today?"
"Well, I did have something in mind, but after last night I'm tempted not to do it," Becker said smirking, turning to walk away.
"Beck-er!" Ben groaned. Becker laughed and turned round.
"Maybe later," he said, "but for now I have to go do an inventory. I'll see you later."
"But what am I going to do? I'll get bored," Ben pointed out, watching his grandfather leaving the room.
Becker stopped in the doorway and called, "Go annoy Lester or someone. I need a break." He winked to show he was joking before disappearing.
Coming up behind Jess, he put his hands on her shoulders, startling her. "Ready?" he asked quietly, kissing her cheek.
"When you are," she replied, smiling up at him.
"Great. Give me five minutes to get there." Glancing around as if paranoid of being followed, he hurried off.
Jess stayed at the ADD, seemingly typing away, yet with one eye firmly fixed on the CCTV footage. Almost immediately after Becker had left the screen, she saw Ben leave the other room, looking round for something to do. Seeing her, he came over.
"Auntie Jess," he started, smiling at her. It had been decided that the children should call all the adults either aunt and uncle, as none of them were old enough to be their grandparents. Some weren't even old enough to be their parents!
"Yes Ben," she replied, glancing away from the screen at him. He was leaning on the desk next to her, looking exactly like a younger version of a bored Becker.
"Have you got any jobs I can do? Becker ditched me and I'm bored."
"Well, you could take this somewhere for me," she said, indicating a small, sealed box.
"Sure thing." He picked it up. "Where to?"
"Out of those doors, take the corridor to the right, third door on the left, along that corridor to the end. It's those double doors. Just leave it on a table for now." She pointed the first doors out. "And thanks." She smiled at him gratefully. Watching him set off, she waited until he'd left the room before turning her earpiece on. "He's on his way, Becker."
"He sure doesn't sit still for long," he laughed back. "I'll see you later on, though he'll probably be loud enough for you to hear when he finds out. My shift finishes at six, so I'll see you then. Cinema's at eight."
"I'll see you then," she smiled, turning off the earpiece and getting back to work.
Ben followed Jess' directions and entered a room in darkness. Flicking the switch, he was surprised to see Becker standing in the middle of a large room holding a gun.
"Hey, Becker, I wasn't expecting to see you here." He held up the box. "Jess asked me to bring this."
Becker smiled. "Great. Stick it on that table."
While he was doing so, Ben took the chance to glance round the room. It was long, with a bar partway and targets down the other end. A thrill of excitement shot through him as he realised he was in the shooting range.
"Come here," Becker said quietly once he'd put down the box. Ben walked over and stood in front of him, still looking round. He glanced at Becker to see him holding out a gun, with a massive grin on his face. "You were bored," Becker told him. "Let's see if this can get rid of that."
"YES!" Ben yelled, punching the air and hugging Becker as he realised what he meant. "You're finally going to teach me!"
"You can't be a part of the out-team if you can't shoot," Becker said seriously. "If you don't know how to protect yourself then you're a liability. Besides," he smiled at Ben now. "If I don't teach my own grandson how to shoot then Matt will never stop taking the mick out of me. Now, let's see what you can do." And he gave Ben the gun.
It was heavier than Ben had imagined, and he commented on this.
"A gun should be heavy," Becker said. "It takes lives and the heaviness reminds you of how dangerous it can be. Something that kills another should not be light or easy." He quickly ran through all the components of a gun. "Take a shot."
Aiming it towards the targets, Ben thought back to what Matt had said earlier that week. "The safety was on the whole time." Quickly examining the gun, he found what he thought was the safety and clicked it off. Aiming it again, he took a deep breath and fired. His eyes squeezed shut as he fired, and he opened one of them a fraction.
"How did I do?" he asked Becker, who had raised one eyebrow.
"Surprisingly well," Becker replied, looking at the target. "You're not too far off bullseye. In fact, I'd say you've shot before." But Ben firmly shook his head.
"No chance. Like I told you, my parents refused to let me shoot. I've never been allowed to even hold a gun before now."
"In which case, you're a natural," he was told, making him grin. "Now try again, only this time don't close one eye. That'll move your target to the side slightly in your sight. Besides, if you have two eyes open, you've got twice the vision."
Standing firm, Ben raised the gun again. He steadied his right hand with his left, and aimed for the centre. He felt his left eye close and slowly opened it before firing. This time he didn't need to ask where the bullet had gone. He knew inside that it had been bang on target.
"I was right," Becker said slowly. "You are a natural. You don't need me at all." Before Ben had the chance to reply, a piercing alarm rang throughout the building. "Anomaly," Becker explained, grabbing an EMD from the table next to him. "Bring a gun and meet me in the main room in five. You're coming." Ben felt both excitement and fear surge through him at the thought of facing his first anomaly and creature as a member of the ARC team.
OK, so, yeah, I'm not over enthusiastic about this chapter. But whatever. One more chapter going to be uploaded tonight, and then it will be a while before anything will be updated. Here's why.
Lent starts tomorrow, and I'm giving up usual stuff - chocolate, sweets, fizzy drinks, etc. However, I am also setting myself the challenge of giving up the two things I love doing the most and what I spend all my time doing - writing and singing. This is going to be really difficult, but I am determined to stick to it, if not just for the fact that my coursework might get finished now. So, come Easter, I should have plenty of ideas (if I can remember them for that long - I'm not allowed to plan either!) and I promise to update at least all my Primeval stories then.
Thank you to all my lovely reviewers - I love all of you so much! You can all have a pancake :) Please review these chapters and let me know what you think - all reviewers will get a massive cyber-Easter Egg of your choice, along with the usual cyber-muffin. Rx