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Chapter 25: Ordeal

Sarah stood on the roof of the concert hall and watched as the team pulled up to the building.

She turned to her companion.

"Make sure that Connor finds me. The others, whatever comes out of the anomaly should occupy them for a time; but keep Matt away from us." Sarah smirked as they moved from their perch.

Matt handed Connor and Abby an EMD.

"Wow, this is an upgrade from last time." Connor commented.

"Fresh from the factory," Matt smirked.

The four glanced up to the concert hall.

"Let's hope there's no incursion." Becker spoke, wrapping the gun strap around his right arm.

"The people know about the anomalies, right?" Connor asked.

Matt nodded.

"Then, shouldn't there be people running out screaming or something by now?" Connor asked.

"Connor's right," Abby jumped in. "There's supposed to be a show this weekend."

"Unless they're attacking a creature that's already come through," Matt pointed out.

Abby looked absolutely horrified as she moved toward the building. Matt and Connor called after her as they and Becker ran to catch up.

Just as Abby placed her hand on the door to enter the building, Connor wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back, away from the doors as a huge crowd of people poured out the doors running frantically and screaming.

They were all screaming about monsters and how it was the government's fault and how the end was upon them.

When the team was sure the coast was clear, they entered the building.

"Right, let's block these doors and all the other doors on the ground level so nothing gets in or out. Abby and I will cover the west side of the building; Connor, you and Becker cover the east." Matt ordered.

Abby noticed Becker's obvious frustration with Matt's team choices. Becker was still fuming about his earlier conversation with Connor and still wanted to kill Matt because of the whole EMD thing. With the way things were going, Abby didn't want this mission to go awry because of disagreements between the three.

"How about Becker and I cover the west; and you and Connor cover the east?" Abby suggested.

Matt was slightly taken aback, until he too noticed Becker glaring at him.

"Fine, just get those doors locked and keep your eyes out for creature incursion." Matt said as he and Connor left to lock up the doors on their side of the building.

As they locked the next set of doors, Becker looked at Abby.

"You didn't have to do that." Becker spoke.

"Do what?" Abby asked meeting his gaze.

"Change Anderson's team pairings," Becker replied. "I wouldn't have hurt Temple."

"I know for a fact that you're still miffed about whatever you and Connor talked about." Abby said as they moved down the corridor toward the next door, looking for creatures.

"Because your boyfriend and Anderson are convinced that Sarah's not dead and she's out there roaming around trying to sabotage our missions." Becker retorted.

"But—what if Sarah's not dead?"

Becker raised an eyebrow. "Don't you believe what I've told you two months ago?"

Abby sighed. "I don't know what to believe, anymore."

Connor was a bit upset that he and Abby weren't paired up so he could resume their conversation from earlier. It felt a bit like being back in high school gym class where he'd always get picked last. Now that he was paired up with Matt, Connor began to realize that he knew very little about the new field leader.

Connor was about to open his mouth to say something when Matt spoke.

"So, how was going from living in the Cretaceous to living with the outlaw himself?" Matt asked as they paused to lock the last door on their side of the building.

"Oh, ya know, the scenery changes, and the predators change; but I'm still stuck sleeping outside." Connor replied lightheartedly.

"I take it you're not much of a nature person." Matt smirked.

"Not originally, I mean, don't get me wrong, I love animals and stuff; but that was the longest two years of camping that I have ever experienced. In fact, I think I got in my lifetime requirement for camping."

"What about Abby? Did she enjoy the camping as much?"

Connor smiled. "Abby was the one who kept me alive by teaching me how to fight so I could protect her."

"So, what about Claudia?" Matt asked as they moved to the stairs to cover the next floor.

"What about her?" Connor asked as they arrived on the second floor.

"Must be pretty hard living in the past for as long as she did and then come back to find out that she doesn't exist."

"She's all right. I mean, she's tougher than she looks and Lester hasn't pushed her back through an anomaly, so I don't think he really minds her not existing and all."

Connor held up the anomaly tracker.

"It's through there." Connor gestured to a pair of doors.

Abby and Becker froze when they heard a roar combined with people shouting.

As they passed through some double doors, Abby and Becker noticed two middle-aged men poking at a creature, which was about 6 feet in length with sharp teeth and blue and green feathers lightly covering its body, with poles they must have borrowed from the line dividers near the box office.

Becker shot the creature with the EMD, as it fell to the ground.

The two men went to strike the creature, but Abby and Becker reluctantly EMDed them to stop them temporarily.

"Raptors again?" Becker inquired, slightly annoyed.

"It's a Borogovia, to be exact." Abby clarified as Becker merely shrugged.

"What now?" Abby questioned, debating whether to get the creature out of the way first.

"We get those two idiots out of here and lock them outside before they come to. I'll call Jess for backup." Becker said as he and Abby slung the gun over his shoulder and proceeded to pick up the meddlers.

Matt and Connor stood on a balcony overlooking the concert hall.

"Where's the anomaly?" Matt asked not seeing it.

"Dunno. It should be right here." Connor commented, taping his finger on the detector.

"Let's go back downstairs and have a better look." Matt said, as he turned and briskly made his way down the stairs, Connor close behind.

They entered through a side entrance by the stage. Connor wandered onto the stage trying to locate the anomaly. He stopped dead center and turned to his right, Matt standing off about two feet.

"There it is!" Connor called out.

"Do it now!" Sarah ordered her companion who through the switch for the trapdoor.

"Connor, look out!" Matt shouted as he pushed Connor away from the trapdoor and fell through with a grunt.

"Get him, you idiot, or this will all fall apart!" Sarah hissed as her companion rushed onto the stage toward Connor.

Sarah threw the switch for the curtains to close and stepped out from behind stage, as she pointed a gun at Connor, who was about to EMD her companion.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Connor."

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