"I'm assuming there was no luck on the x-ray analysis?"
Sofi shook her head and handed Connor the report. "It just confirmed what we already knew," she said.
"No closer to finding out what it actually does."
Sofi sighed and leaned forward. Her elbows slipped across the surface of the table, and she chin bumped down on her hands with a small thump. "Nope. It's at times like this that I miss Nick," she whispered.
"Yeah, me too," said Connor. "Although, you know Nick wouldn't have discovered the meaning of this, he would've left it to you. Maybe that's why he said he knew what it was and made sure that you heard him say it."
"You think he was trying to tell me something?"
Connor shrugged. "You're the genius, you tell me," he said.
"Well, if he was trying to tell me something, I wish he hadn't been so cryptic," said Sofi, looking back at the artifact. She had tried everything she could think of in order to open it, but everything was coming back negative. What was she missing?
Conner huffed and switched on the over-hanging light. The beam of it glinted off the surface of the artifact, and Sofi furrowed her brow, her head cocking to the side.
"Light," Sofi murmured.
Connor blinked and looked at her.
"Light," Sofi whispered, her eyes widening. There had been one thing she hadn't considered until now. "That's it! Connor, you are a freaking genius!"
Connor smiled. "… what did I do?" he asked.
Sofi returned two minutes later with a bag under her arm, she set it on the table and started to remove the pieces of the laser the ARC had purchased a few months ago and started to put it together.
"You think the laser will unlock it?" Connor asked.
Sofi shrugged. "It's a chance," she said. "I mean, we've tried everything else."
"Worth a try, I suppose," said Connor.
Sofi nodded and finished setting up the laser around the artifact. She positioned one end of the artifact facing the laser pointer and turned it on. A red beam hit the metal casing… but nothing happened.
"Try defusing the beam?" Connor suggested.
Sofi turned down the beam, but still got no reaction.
"Maybe another angle?" Connor asked. He turned the artifact from his end, staring at Sofi and waiting for a reaction.
"I'm not seeing anything," Sofi said, her heart growing heavier with each second.
"You think they would leave the instruction manual in the box, wouldn't you?" Connor asked. He sounded cheery, and Sofi knew it was for her benefit. She smiled weakly at him.
"Let's try another angle," said Connor, turning the artefact again. "See anything now?"
Sofi shook her head.
"What about now?" Connor asked, turning it again.
"It's not working," Sofi whined, running a hand through her hair. "Why isn't working?!"
Connor turned the artifact again. "What about now?" he asked.
Sofi shook her head, disheartened and disappointed. "I don't even know why I thought light, of all things, would open it! How could I be so stupid!" she cried.
"Hey, you're not stupid," said Connor. "You're tired, frustrated, probably hungry, when was the last time you ate, by the way?"
"Ryan brought me breakfast this morning," said Sofi.
Connor smiled. "But you're not stupid," he said. "Besides, there has got to be something we haven't tried yet. Something we aren't thinking of."
"Like what?" Sofi asked. "We've looked every way we know how! There is nothing that will open this thing!" She swung her arm around, waving her hand toward the artifact, and hit the frame that was supporting it. It wobbled and Connor made a grab for it, slamming his hands down on the top.
The artifact glinted in the light of the beam and a streak of orange shot into the air. It wove around one another, like a beam of light which intertwined and overlapped at certain points, each one shining like a star in the night.
Sofi scoffed and then laughed; her eyes wide in amazement as the lights disappeared. She looked back at Conner. "Was that -?" she started, trailing off as her thought process refused to slow down long enough for her to make any sense of it.
"That was incredible!" Connor laughed. "Was that some kind of map?"
"The points where the lines crossed, it looked exactly like - "
"The matrix!" they both finished simultaneously.
"He knew!" Connor said. "Cutter knew."
Sofi clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes drawn back to the ceiling were the light map had just been. Cutter's matrix had been based on her theory of anomalies. That was why he had said he knew what the artifact was, he knew because she had told him.
"This is some kind of, I don't know, key to predicating anomalies," said Connor, looking back at the artifact. "Whatever we did, we have to do it again."
Sofi nodded and looked back at the items before her. "Just one problem," she said, hesitating. "I can't remember what we did."
"Me either," Connor admitted.
~X~
Arriving to work later than usual, Jayden spotted Sofi at work with Connor and headed for her table. Abby beat him to it, and he sidled up beside the trio with ease.
"How's it going?" Abby asked.
"We just opened the artifact," said Connor, grinning.
Jayden looked stunned as he met Sofi's eye. For the first time in weeks, she was smiling. He had to admit, he had missed her smiled. "Really? What was it?" he asked.
"The matrix," said Sofi. "Just as I predicted two years ago, and Cutter made a reality before the bombing."
"Why aren't you a famous scientist yet?" Jayden asked, hugging Sofi.
Sofi shook her head with a smile. She was interested in becoming famous, she just wanted to do her part and help the world.
"Connor!"
The group looked around as Danny's voice echoed across the ARC from Lester's office. He was leaning so far over the railing that he looked ready to topple over it, a stricken look of panic swept across his face, and instantly Sofi's stomach dropped.
"Yo?" Connor asked.
"They've seen it," Danny said, pushing away from the railing and jogging down the ramp. "They know we've got the artifact."
"Who?" Sofi asked. And even though she had asked, she already knew the answer. There was only one other person, aside from Helen Cutter, that could benefit from the artifact, and that was -
"Johnson," Danny answered. "She's on her way here. We've got five minutes."
Connor turned quickly to Sofi. "Grab your bag," he said, carefully extracting the artifact from the laser.
Sofi jolted away from the table, swerved into her lab, and grabbed her backpack from the table. She met Connor in the hallway and ripped open the bag, allowing him to slide the artifact inside. She then swung it up onto her shoulders, both arms threading the arms and dashing down the corridor after the others.
Ryan met them at the end. "You can't go that way," he said, his voice urgent as he caught Sofi's arm, steadying her before she could collide with him. "They're already here and sealing off the carpark."
"What do we do?" Abby asked, nervously.
"In here," said Becker, arriving behind them and sliding open a door to the left. He ducked inside and the team followed, crouching down beside work desks as soldiers rushed past outside the doors.
Sofi gripped Ryan's arm as Danny turned to Becker.
"I know one exit they won't have covered," said Danny, quietly.
Becker nodded. "Lester's looking for a safe house," he said, glancing around at the others. "Whatever you do, don't break cover. We'll find you when it's clear."
"You're not coming with us?" Sofi asked, looking from Ryan to Becker and back again. She wasn't comfortable leaving them behind.
"We'll do damage control here," said Ryan. "Your safety is our first priority."
Knowing it was better to not argue, Sofi nodded.
Ryan pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead, while Danny led the others towards the door. He glanced left to right and then crept across the hall into another room. One-by-one, Abby and Connor followed, then Sofi. She slipped into the room and glanced back at Becker and Ryan, both of whom were still in the room opposite.
They both offered her reassuring nods and smiles before the door closed, sealing them off from one another.
"Sofi, come on!" said Danny, urging her over. He had opened a hatch in the ceiling and Connor's legs were just disappearing through it.
Sofi took a deep breath and, shrugging her backpack back onto her shoulders, started the climb up. She had just pulled herself carefully into the lift shaft when Danny's head appeared at her ankles.
The four of them crawled for a few minutes, careful to not alert anyone beneath them to where they were, and then popped out at the other end.
~X~
"So, mate, with fuel injection, it's rather like osmosis…" said Danny, moving a young recruit away from the jeep engine. Abby followed him and lowered the hood, as Sofi and Connor clambered into the car - one in the front and one in the back - "It's the passing of a solvent through a semi-permeable membrane to form an equilibrium. Correct?"
The recruit fumbled for his words as Danny took the keys from his pocket and made his way to the driver's side. "Uh, I don't think I'm supposed to let you do that," he said, hesitantly.
"Nate, right?" Sofi asked, rolling down the back window. The recruit nodded. "Sofi Wyatt - Captain Becker's sister, and Captain Ryan's girlfriend. If you promise not to say anything, I'll put in a good word with them both and get you bumped up the military ladder, how does that sound?"
Nate beamed and nodded, stepping away from the car as Danny started the engine. He pulled out of the garage as the door ascended completely and swerved around a car that was blocking their way.
"Can you really do that with Becker and Ryan?" Abby asked, referring to Nate. She glanced through the back window, watching as Johnson's men surrounded the recruit, their guns drawn.
Sofi shrugged. "I can put in a good word for him," she said. "The fact that he helped us escape will help him rise through the ranks."
Abby nodded and faced front again.
As Danny swerved a second car, Sofi pulled her seatbelt across her chest and clicked it into place. Speeding down the street, away from the ARC, Danny honked the horn at Johnson's men that had set up a road block and was waving them down.
"Danny, I hope you know what you're doing," said Connor, his eyes wide as the soldiers grew nearer and nearer. He glanced at his new team leader as the Soldiers ducked aside at the last second, and they blew through the road block.
Sofi grabbed the overhead handle as Danny took the corner at the end of the road sharply, almost toppling the car.
"They're coming after us!" Abby said, craning her neck around and staring out of the back window.
"What are we going to do?" Connor asked.
Sofi leaned forward, as far as her seatbelt would allow, and pointed out of the front window. "There!" she said, indicating to the off ramp. Ahead of them, a delivery truck was flashing its light to show oncoming traffic that it was pulling into the lane. The sheer size of it took up two lanes, and it needed as much space between it and the cars around it to avoid an accident.
"Are you crazy!" Connor said, his eyes wide. "We'll never make it!"
"We'll make it," said Danny. He veered off suddenly to the left, throwing his passengers sideways, and pushed his foot to the floor as the car sped up.
The delivery truck honked its horn, it's lights flashing at the jeep, warning it that it was getting to close.
Danny pushed the accelerator against the floor of the car and sped through the small opening beside the truck. It slammed on its brakes, cutting off Johnson's men as they slammed to a halt before collision.
Connor laughed - more in relief than anything - and glanced behind him.
"Good call, Sof," said Danny, glancing at her in the rear-view mirror.
Sofi smiled and brushed her hair from her face. At her feet, wedged between the back of Danny's seat and her toes was her backpack. Tucked away inside was the artifact, and the whole reason they were on the run in the first place.
~X~
Connor slid his phone open on the second ring and showed the screen to Danny. It was the ARC with coordinates on where they were to go in order to find their safe house.
"Well, at least we know where we're going," said Danny.
"Get rid of your mobiles," said Sofi, diving into the front of her bag for her device. She removed the sim and memory card from the back and then rolled down the window, tossing the hand-held onto the grassy patch beside the road.
Abby leaned over and tossed out her device. "There's goes my new eighteen-month contract," she sighed.
"Did you save the sim card?" Sofi asked.
"No, why?" Abby asked, her brow furrowed.
"In most phones, it is the sim card that the contract is attached to," said Sofi, holding up her sim. "I'm on a sim only plan, which means my phone itself is useless, all I need is this."
Abby gaped at the small card between Sofi's fingers. "Who are you with?" she asked. "Orange doesn't supply that."
"Vodafone. We'll get you set up when we get out of this," said Sofi, patting Abby's shoulder. "How about you two?" she added to Danny and Connor.
Connor was frowning out of the window, his eyes attached to the side mirror and the patch of grass he had tossed his phone. "I just remembered my phone is sim contract only, too," he whined.
Sofi shook her head. She was suddenly thankful for her ability to think while under pressure, at least now all she had to do was buy a new handheld, input her sim, and continue to use it like today hadn't even happened.
"Danny?" Sofi asked.
Danny shrugged. "My contract was due for an upgrade anyway," he said. "So, no love lost."
Despite the situation, Sofi couldn't help the smile curving at the corner of her lips.
"Where are we going?" Abby asked, slouching back in her seat. She wasn't equipped for long road trips, especially not without her phone for comfort.
Danny glanced back at the pair. "We're almost there," he said, turning right onto a strip of lonely road.
The car continued forward for another hour, the inside of it was silent, save for Sofi who was scribbling down as much as she could on a piece of paper she had found at the bottom of her bag.
"What are you doing?" Abby asked, leaning over. "Letter?"
Sofi shook her head. "It's obvious Johnson has control of the ARC by now," she said. "All my research on anomalies is backed up to my laptop, which is in the lab, and sure, I have some on a hard drive at home. But, I also have all the information that Nick, and I collected on the matrix in my folders, if she goes snooping, which we know she will, she'll have everything she needs to recreate the Matrix and launch her own investigation into the anomalies."
"So, what are you doing?" Connor asked, glancing backward.
"I'm re-writing everything I have back at the ARC," said Sofi. "If, and when, she leaves, she could take the research with her, or even make her own copies. I don't want to lose out on valuable information because she's got delusions of grandeur."
"No offence, but how is that going to help?" Abby asked. "If she's taking notes of your information at the ARC, rewriting it isn't going to stop her."
"No, but what if she destroys my notes?" Sofi asked. "I may have an eidetic memory, but I still like to have physical hard copies to hand. It makes things easier to show people when I'm explaining them."
Abby relented. "Fair point," she said. "Do you need some help?"
Sofi shook her head. "I'm not writing them in English," she said. "My notes are always written in Latin, makes it hard for people to translate it from just a glance."
"You're weird, you know that?"
"Thanks," Sofi grinned. Being called weird was no longer an insult, she found, but rather a compliment.
~X~
The car jostled as drove across the clunky dirt road. Outside the windows, trees and shrubbery passed at a slow pace and the occupants inside braced themselves against the windows, the roof, and the dash and the seats before them in order to keep upright.
Soon Danny slowed as he reached a metal fence, blocking their access to the grounds ahead. Two wired fences with rolling barbed wire stood either side of the tunnel, and Sofi couldn't help but frown at the one closest to her. Where on earth had Lester sent them? A World War II bunker?
"Something tells me this safe house hasn't been used for years," Danny mused, stopping the car and getting out. Connor followed him and the pair approached the offending gate.
Abby glanced at Sofi. "Hey, you okay?" she asked.
"I have a bad feeling about this place," Sofi replied, her eyes jumping from the barbed wire fences to the grounds beyond. The grass was over grown and the trees gave off an eerie feeling, like there was something hidden behind them, waiting to be found.
Abby reached for Sofi's hand and squeezed it, reassuringly.
Danny and Connor returned, after attaching the hook on the front of the car to the gates. The car reversed and the gates came away from their hinges with little resistance.
Sofi just glimpsed the sign on the fence before Danny and Connor shuffled it out of sight - KEEP OUT. MINISTRY OF DEFENCE - was scrawled across the white square in block red letters. Suddenly the barb-wired fences made sense.
Within minutes, the car was back on the dirt road heading further into the grounds. They stopped after a short journey and all clambered out, Abby and Sofi stretching their legs and arms as they took in the scenery around them.
"I know what you mean now, Sof," said Abby.
Sofi's eyes settled on the cabin through the trees, her eyebrows arching as she looked around at the others. "This place looks like it belongs in a Grimm fairy-tale," she said.
"Yeah. Thanks a lot, Lester, this place is terrific," said Danny, sarcasm dripping from his words. He turned to the others, looped his arm around Sofi's shoulder, and herded her towards the cabin as Connor and Abby followed behind.
They stopped at the path leading to the door. The cabin was even worse up close. The windows had been blacked out, and the roof looked like it could cave in at any second. The door was made of solid wood, just like the rest of the place, and most of the foundation had sunk into the ground.
"I think there's a cellar down there," said Abby, peering closely at the slacks of wood beneath the cabin floor.
"What would a cabin need with a cellar?" Sofi asked.
Abby shrugged.
Climbing the stairs, Connor tried the door, but it didn't budge. "I think it's locked," he decided, glancing around. The others were watching him closely. "Maybe there's a window we can - "he cut off as he scurried down the steps, and seconds later the door blew open as Danny kicked it, as hard as he could.
"Only part of being a copper I enjoyed," said Danny, smiling. He turned to the others and motioned for them to follow him as he stepped inside. "Come on."
Sofi shared a look with Abby and Connor and stepped inside. The air was musky, and sunlight glinted through the gaps in the black paper that lined the windows.
"Well, it was never going to be a four-star hotel, was it?" Danny joked.
A light chuckle echoed around the room.
"Wow," said Connor, entering last. He made a beeline for the bigger window and ripped back the black coverings, allowing streams of sunlight to filter inside.
Sofi sneezed as dust blew into the air and hit her in the face.
"Sorry," Connor apologised.
Plugging her nose, Sofi waved him off and moved aside from the dust that still clung in the air. She sniffled and followed Abby to the far back of the cabin. Together they lifted a latch on another window and then pushed the board covering it up. The window wasn't paned over with glass like the others and looked out onto the forest behind the cabin.
It was silent and creepy.
"Château Lafite. Not a bad vintage," said Danny, reading from the label of a wine bottle.
"Why, is that worth much?" Abby asked.
"About a £1,000," said Danny, tossing her the bottle.
Click. Click.
Connor removed his hand from the light switch. "There's no power," he scoffed. "It's going to be like Christmas at me gran's. Please, God, nobody mention charades."
"Hey, check this out," said Sofi, standing beside a small circular table full of notes, papers, and pictures. She lifted one up and peered at the black and white image of four people.
Abby leaned over her shoulder. "Who are they?" she asked.
"Well, that's John Mortimer," said Sofi, pointing at the man in middle. "He was a scientist for the Ministry of Defence in the 1940s. He disappeared and no one ever knew what happened to him. The other's must be his staff and teammates."
"What is all this?" Danny asked, picking up a stack of papers.
Sofi lowered the photo and peered closely. "They look like reports on strange occurrences in the woods," she said. "But, I can't be sure. I'd need to read all of them, preferably in order." She looked back at the disarray on the table and realised that was going to be a difficult task.
"Hey, where are you going?" Abby asked.
Sofi and Danny looked around to see Connor was halfway out the door. He paused and leaned back in, using the doorframe for support.
"To get wood for the fire," said Connor. He left without another word.
Abby turned to Danny and Sofi.
"I have an idea for an early warning system," said Danny, placing a hand on Sofi's shoulder. "You going to be okay in here if Abby comes and helps me set it up?"
Sofi nodded and nodded at the table. "I'm going to see if I can sort these into a readable order," she said. "I'm curious to know what Mortimer and his team were doing out here."
Danny nodded and led Abby out of the cabin.
Once she as alone, Sofi looked around. Her gaze swept from the windows to the furniture. It was quaint and old, patchworks of mismatched colours were threaded together into a blanket and it was now laying over the back of the sofa, while there were black logs in the fireplace. On the mantle, she noticed, was an old clock - it had long since stopped working. The big hand was stuck on nine while the smaller hand was stuck on four - 4:45 - but was that 4:45am or 4:45pm?
Shaking her head, Sofi looked back at the papers. She shed her backpack, storing it safely on the back of a chair, and then perched herself on the edge; afraid that it would break beneath her weight. When it held up, she shuffled further onto the seat and set to work arranging the papers in front of her.
"Hey," said Abby, breathlessly, as she led Danny back into the cabin.
Sofi gave a small wave, to show she had heard, but didn't lift her head from the papers in front of her. She had managed to work the pages into a numerical formation and had found they were entries from some sort of journal. But, none of it made any sense to her. One minute Mortimer was talking about Military defense and the next he was rambling about hearing strange noises in the woods.
"It's probably past it's sell-by date," said Abby, picking up a tin from the table. She checked it over and then tossed it at Danny.
"Corned Beef," Danny whined.
"Not a lover of Corned Beef, Danny?" Sofi asked.
"Not particularly."
Sofi smiled.
Abby, after shuffling behind a curtain, gasped and stuck her head back out. "Sofi, check these out!" she gasped, pulling a couple of hangers from the wall and flourishing two dresses into the open. One was a deep red colour which hung from thick shoulder straps, and the other was a shimmering blue dress that hung from one shoulder. Both were floor length.
"Wow," Sofi said, her eyes drinking in the two dresses.
"There's two shirts and dinner jackets here, too," said Abby, showing the second sets of clothing off.
Danny smiled. "If we're out here, we may has well play the part, eh?" he asked, looking at both girls.
Sofi shrugged as Abby smiled.
"Wait, do you hear that?" Abby asked, her smile fading as the sound of distant music floated on the air. It was coming from the woods, making them seem even creepier than they already were.
Sofi dropped the papers onto the table. "Where's Connor?" she asked, suddenly aware of how long he had been gone.
"Hello! Hello! This is Connor Temple. Is anybody receiving me? Over."
Connor's voice echoed on the air, mixing with the sounds of music. At least he was alive.
Then the music, and Connor's voice stopped, and a scream replaced them. Abandoning the cabin, Danny, Abby, and Sofi followed the screams and found Connor on the floor of, what could only be described as an observation bunker, with a skeleton laying on top of him.
"What are you doing?" Abby asked, annoyed. She dragged the skeleton from Connor and helped him stand.
Connor shuddered in disgust and finally turned to his team. "I just opened the door and it fell out on me," he said.
"He must have got trapped inside," said Danny. "Look like some sort of viewing room. Here's a diary," he added, extracting a book from the chair inside the door. He handed it to Sofi. "Looks like some kind of code. Can you crack it?"
Sofi arch an eyebrow at him. "Did you seriously just ask me that?" she asked.
Danny chuckled.
"What happened here?" Abby asked, curiously. "Where did they all go?"
~X~
Connor gently set the needle on the record and ethereal music filled the cabin. He was dressed in a formal black dinner jacket over a button-down white shirt with a bowtie to match. He smiled and turned to Abby, as she adjusted the shimmering blue dress on her shoulders. "Will you do me the honour?" he asked, playing the part.
Abby laughed softly and took his hand, allowing him to twirl her around the room.
Sofi watched them with a soft smile and then returned her attention to the diary on the table. She had cleaned it up of the papers and photos, tucking them away inside an empty binder she had in her backpack.
The diary that Danny had provided her with was written in a numerical code.
"Any luck?" Danny asked, leaning over her shoulder as he picked up an old newspaper from the pile at the edge of the table.
"It's a cipher," said Sofi. "I use one to access my personal computer. But this, this is top notch. I mean, Mortimer went to a lot of trouble to make sure that no one knew what he was writing. I don't think even his own teammates would be able to translate it."
Danny frowned, his brow furrowing.
Sofi smiled and patted the chair next to her. "There are many different number ciphers out there. Mortimer uses one where he basically, replaces each letter by its position in the alphabet. For example," she jotted down a few numbers and then replaced them with letters, forming several words on an empty piece of paper from her own book.
"What's it say?" Danny asked.
"There's no one left. The others are all dead. God help me, it's happening again. They're here."
Danny furrowed his brow as Sofi finished. "Who's here?" he asked.
"That's where it ends," said Sofi, shaking her head. "Every entry in here is signed J.M. so I know it's all written by the same person."
"What do you know about him?" Abby asked. "Aside from the fact that he was a scientist working for the Ministry of Defence?"
Sofi shrugged. "Not much. Only that he came here with his team to do meteorological test but then something happened. They must've found something in the woods, but Mortimer doesn't say what."
The record player screeched, and Connor excused himself to flip it. He had just set the needle back on the spin disc when a creature's screech halted the team in their tracks.
Pushing his way past the others, Danny shoved the needle from the disc, silencing the screeches and turned back to his team.
"That sounds like some kind of bird's distress call," said Abby, her eyes wide.
"What type of bird would make that sound?" Danny asked.
Sofi shook her head. "None from this era," she said, swallowing. She glanced around, suddenly acutely aware of creepy the place was. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and she felt like someone was watching her. "We need to get out of here."
"And go where?" Connor asked. "The ARC is on lockdown; we've got nowhere else to go."
A low clanging sound echoed from somewhere outside.
"It's the trip wire," said Danny.
"Have they found us?" Abby asked.
Sofi rose from her seat.
"Get round the back," Danny told them.
Catching Abby's waist, Connor urged her towards the back door. He allowed her to slip past before turning to Sofi and holding out his hand. Sofi took it, grabbing the diary from the table as she followed Abby through the back door.
~X~
Abby and Sofi clutched hands as they stumbled through the long grass towards the bunker. They took the stairs two at a time and stopped in the doorway as a glittering anomaly hovered in the centre of the room.
"We need to get to the car," said Abby.
Sofi nodded numbly and backtracked, dragging Abby with her. They reached the silver jeep, just as Connor burst through the trees, yelling for them to get in and quickly.
"What creature is it?" Sofi asked, slamming the door behind her.
Connor shook his head, started the engine, and started to move down the road.
"What about Danny?" Abby asked.
As if on cue, Danny pounded on the back window, startling Abby and Sofi, and urging Connor to step on it.
"Where's it gone?" Connor asked, looking around.
"Connor, describe what you saw," said Sofi.
Connor stammered as he tried to look for signs of the creature.
"Connor! Focus," said Sofi.
"Right. Sorry. Um, it was big, really big, with feathers, a long neck, a sharp beak, and really long legs with claws or talons, I don't know," said Connor, breathlessly.
Sofi's eyes widened.
"I know that look," said Abby, catching Sofi's face. "That's the 'I know what creature that is, and we're screwed' look. What is it?"
"There is only one creature that matches that description," said Sofi. "Phorusrhacids, commonly known as a Terror Bird. They're a large carnivorous flightless bird that were the largest species of apex predators in South America during the Cenozoic era."
"So, we're screwed?" Abby asked.
Sofi nodded. "Not just because of the Terror Birds," she said. "The ARC would've picked up the anomaly by now. Johnson's men are on their way."
"Oh boy!" Abby sighed.
"Connor, look out!" Danny yelled. But his warning came too late as the head of a terror bird crashed through the driver's side window, sending Connor hurtling to the right, his arm coming up to protect his head and face from shards of glass. The wheel turned as Connor did, and the car veered off course.
Danny gasped as he was thrown backwards, over the side of the car, and clung desperately to the side frame as the Terror Bird snapped at him as it run alongside the vehicle.
"Oh, my god, I think I just killed Danny," Connor gasped, his eyes wide.
"Focus on the road!" Sofi said, pointing ahead of them. She twisted in her seat, peering through the back window with Abby as they tried to glimpse Danny through the glass.
Abby pointed to the side of the car - Sofi's side - and at the white flapping jacket that Danny still wore. "Danny!" she called, banging her hand against the glass.
Disturbed by the noise, the Terror Bird pulled back and Danny was able to pull himself back up into the bed of the truck.
"Well done, mate!" Connor called. He took his eyes off the wheel and twisted in his seat.
"Connor, look out!" Sofi yelled.
Whipping around, Connor slammed on the brakes as a fallen tree lay in the middle of the road. One of its branches pushed through the front window, colliding with Connor's head and knocking his headrest clean from the seat. Sofi ducked, narrowly avoiding the branch as it smashed through the back window and knocked Danny from the truck bed.
Silence fell and darkness soon followed it.
~X~
Sofi groaned as something or someone jostled her shoulder. She opened her eyes and closed them straight away. The area she was in was cramped and she had somehow slid down onto the floor, she tried to sit up, but something above her was preventing her from moving. She stilled for a few moments, trying to remember what had happened and why she had ended up in this place.
Then, it hit her. Her eyes wrenched open and she spotted the bulging branch above her, separating her from the rest of the car. The jostling was coming from her right and Abby's voice called to her from across the branch.
"Sofi, are you okay? Can you hear me?" Abby asked, reaching under the branch and shaking Sofi's leg. "Come on, Sof, please be okay."
Sofi coughed and reached for Abby's hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
Abby took an audible deep breath and held tightly. "Thank god," she said. "Are you okay?"
"A little stuck," said Sofi. "You?"
"I'm okay. Danny's coming around to your," said Abby. "You think you can get out if he opens the door?"
"Yeah," Sofi replied. She felt the door give way behind her and slung her arm half way around the branch to keep from falling out. She looked up as arms slipped around her waist and glanced back to see Danny lifting her carefully out of the back seat. Her body eased out carefully, sliding across the leather seats with ease, until she was able to stand on her own two feet outside.
With his arm still around her, Danny led Sofi over to a nearby tree and rested her against the trunk. He looked back as Abby skirted around the front of the car, leaning in through the front window and checking on Connor. He was still unconscious, had a cut on his head from the collision, but at least he was breathing.
A distant screeching caused the trio to turn. The terror bird could have been anywhere, and there was a possibility that there was more than one.
"We have to get out of here," said Sofi, wincing as she tried to move away from the trunk. Danny pushed her back against it.
"Abby," Danny called. He looked toward the blonde, but she was still fussing over Connor. "Abby! Listen to me."
"What?" Abby asked, annoyed.
"Listen," said Danny. "We're never going to be able to outrun it. Okay? You two," he turned to Sofi. "You get back to the cabin. It's the only place that might be safe."
Abby glanced at Connor.
"I'll look after him," Danny promised. "All right? Now, go. Go, go!"
Sofi pushed away from the tree and stumbled forward, wincing and almost colliding with Abby. The older blonde caught her around the middle and then turned, with one final glance at Connor, the two women stumbled through the trees, clinging to one another as they tried to remember which direction the cabin was from where they were.
~X~
"I know it's this way," said Abby, still holding Sofi's hand as she led the way through the trees. They stopped at a small ditch and, while Abby was able to cross it with no problems, Sofi struggled.
Sofi squeaked as she tilted to the right, almost slipping from the log that she was trying to cross.
"Here," said Abby, stiffening her grip on Sofi's hand.
Sofi smiled in return and stepped off the log. "Thanks," she said, brushing aside her hair. "I think we should head that way. Towards the long grass. It can hide us should we come across the birds."
"Good idea," said Abby, leading the way. She stumbled through a bush, her dress catching on the twigs and tripping her up.
Sofi caught Abby's shoulders, stabilising her before she could hurt herself further.
"Great for dancing," said Abby, reaching down and taking the helm of her dress. She ripped it in two, tying it into a knot at her knees. "Not so great for cross country."
Sofi copied her actions, tearing into her red dress and tying it off. "Let's go!" she said, ducking under another branch and lead Abby towards the long grass.
They pair stopped running and turned to face one another as a not-so-distant screech caught their attention.
"There's more than one," said Abby.
Sofi nodded. She twisted around, her eyes widening, and she fumbled for Abby's hand as a Terror Bird teetered out of the trees at their rear.
"Come on," said Abby, catching Sofi's hand and dragging her away. They burst out of the trees and headed straight for the long grass. "Quick! Hide!"
Dropping to her knees, Sofi crawled through the dead grass, her hand sliding through dust and dirt as she felt her way forward. Not knowing where she was going, or being able to see the road ahead, unnerved her more than it should have. It didn't help that there was a large apex predator on the loose nearby, or that it's flock was also hiding somewhere, either.
Stopping in what they believed to be the centre of the grass, Abby and Sofi shared a silent look. The air was silent, the screeching had stopped, and the was no sign of any creatures in the immediate vicinity. They were alone - possibly.
"I think they've gone," said Abby, her voice low.
Trusting her friends instincts, Sofi nodded and rose to her feet, brushing off her knees. She stiffened as she raised her head and found herself face-to-beak with a flock of Terror Birds no less than fifty feet away from her. She squeaked, her eyes wide, as the head of the flock turned in her direction, its beady eyes locked on her person.
"Run!" said Abby, grabbing Sofi's arm and dragging her backward. They burst through the trees again, spotting Danny and Connor sprinting past them through the field.
"Danny!" Sofi called.
Danny whirled around and raised his hands. "Stop!" he yelled, halting them. "It's a minefield."
Abby and Sofi both looked down. Only inches away from them was a tuft of grass, and a metallic disc sticking out from beneath it. They wouldn't have seen it had Danny not stopped them.
A terror birds screech echoed through the trees, followed by its pounding footsteps.
Sofi turned to Abby. "How was your hopscotch at school?" she asked.
"Pretty good, actually," said Abby.
Clutching hands again, the two women pounced, bounced and dodged side to side, over tufts of earth and grass, narrowly avoiding the metallic plates that lay beneath them. They released one another as they reached Connor and Danny, and the four of them took off again.
"Go the lodge," said Danny, urging the trio on.
Disappearing into the trees, Sofi stopped dead as an explosion from behind caused her to turn. She gasped and almost screamed as Danny burst through the trees, his arms wrapping around her and almost bowling her over.
"I told you to go!" Danny said, spinning her around.
"I thought you were dead!" Sofi said. "What did you do? Blow the Terror Bird up?!"
Danny nodded. He then sighed as he searched Sofi's eyes. There was a look of regret in them, and he remembered her golden rule of not killing the creatures unless absolutely needing too. "It was going to kill us, Sof," he reminded her. "Kill or be killed, yeah?"
Sofi heaved a sigh and then nodded. "Kill or be killed," she agreed. Although she didn't like it.
"Good girl," said Danny. He gathered her under his arm and led her away, stopping at the dirt road as he found Connor and Abby facing down Captain Ross.
Sofi's gaze was drawn to the black backpack in Captain Ross' hand. It was hers. He'd found the cabin, and all the papers and diary she had been deciphering, including the Artifact.
"Stay where you are," Ross said, pointing his pistol at them. "You're under arrest! What was the explosion?"
"It was a creature," Danny answered, eyeing the soldier to his right. He had an AK47 trained on him and Sofi. The safety was off, and with one flick of his finger against the trigger, they'd be dead within seconds.
"You have to get us out of here, please," Connor pleaded.
"There is more of them," Danny urged.
Captain Ross nodded. "All in good time," he said. Although is words held little concern for the dangers the team were describing.
"Trust me. We need to hurry…" Danny said, trying again to stress how dangerous the situation was.
"Shut up!" Ross ordered.
Sofi swallowed, her heart hammering painfully against her ribs as, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of another Terror Bird. It was growing closer and closer by the second, inching its way towards Ross' second-in-command, who was totally oblivious to the encroaching danger.
"What are you looking at?" Ross asked, pointing his pistol at Sofi.
"Your friend's untimely death," said Sofi.
The soldier turned, his scream dying before he could get it all out, as the Terror Bird lunged and sunk it's beak into his neck. Blood spurted everywhere, splattering all over Ross as he tossed the backpack into the air. It caught on a low hanging branch on the side of the road while Ross threw himself back into his car and pulled back.
The back wheel of the SUV rolled over a land mind which exploded, teetering the car up from the backend and then throwing it over onto its hood. As it stopped, a second mine detonated, causing Connor and Danny to shove themselves and the two girls aside as the car was engulfed in flames.
A third mine blew into the air and sliced through the neck of a Terror Bird causing it to collapse in the middle of the road.
Danny shuddered and, helping Sofi across the road, pulled her backpack down from the tree and urged her forward, after Abby and Connor, as the pair made a break for the cabin.
~X~
The cabin shuddered as the door crashed open, sending more ashes of dust into the sunlight air. Abby and Connor were the first into the living room, and immediately made a beeline for the back of the room, pulling down the shelf of wood that covered the glassless window. Abby secured it just as Danny and Sofi entered, with the former slamming the door and locking it behind them.
"Locking it isn't going to do much good against those beaks," said Sofi, eying the latch with uncertainty. "Or their powerful claws and feet."
"It'll keep them at bay for now," said Danny, sliding his arm around her shoulder. "Come on. We better arm ourselves."
Sofi nodded and made her way into the kitchen where she found a large, serrated knife, a random piece of chain, a broomstick, and several planks of wood. "Connor, help me!" she called, struggling to hold a beam of wood.
Connor hurried over and, carrying the beam between them, placed it against the front door of the cabin.
"Danny!" Sofi called, tossing him the broomstick. Danny wedged it beneath the latch on the door. It shuddered as a Terror Bird rammed into it, but it remained locked. For now.
Abandoning the front door, Danny hurried into the kitchen and hooked his arm through the length of rope that was hanging on the wall.
Sofi and Connor watched him, perplexed and slightly confused, as he rushed back into the main room with the rope for seemingly no reason. Sharing a look, the pair shrugged, and returned to barricading as many doors and windows as they could.
As Connor and Abby were adding the last chair to the window, silence fell outside. It was still as eerie has it had been when they first arrived, but this time it seemed even more so, if that was possible?
"You never know," said Connor, trying to sound encouraging. "Maybe the explosion scared them all off?"
Abby met Sofi's gaze. They could've only hoped for that.
"More than likely they're going to be gathering somewhere," said Abby. "Like hyenas preparing to seal a kill."
Picking up a hammer and nail, Abby turned back to the window just as the cabin shook, tilting dangerously to the left as most of the barricades crashed to the floor.
"Looks like tea breaks over," said Connor, looking towards the ceiling.
Sofi met Danny's gaze as he glanced back at her. He was clutching a ladder in one hand and bracing himself against the back door with the other.
The window near Abby suddenly exploded, propelling the petite blonde backward into the room. Glass rained down upon her from the window, and a beak appeared in the wreckage, snapping at the barricade that kept it outside.
"Abby, you all right?" Connor asked, helping her stand.
"Yeah," Abby replied, shaking any loose glass pieces from her hair, and brushing down her dress.
Sofi clutched Danny's arm tightly. He had pushed away from the back door, and stood firmly in front of her, as if protecting her from any dangers that may come from the front of the house.
"It's times like this that I wish Becker, Ryan, or Jayden were here," Sofi whispered. The three army men may not have agreed with her in terms of not killing the creatures, but at least they had assault rifles for protection, and their aim wasn't far off perfect. They didn't have to shoot to kill, but a warning shot could've scattered the Terror Birds, or at least warned them off attacking.
The front door burst open and, much to disbelief and fear of the team, crept its head around the doorframe. It's black beady eyes met theirs and it reared its head back, squawking at them. It strode forward, one powerful claw in front of the other, until finally it stood in the middle of the room, it's head brushing the ceiling.
"Go," Danny said, half-glancing at the others.
But they were frozen in fear, staring at the Terror Bird that was inches away from them.
"Go!" Danny yelled, grabbing Sofi's arm and shoving her into the backroom. She stumbled and hit a pillar of wood that splintered against her weight. She whimpered as blood spread across her palms, but barely had time to register it as Abby stumbled in beside her, followed closely by Connor and finally Danny.
They slammed the double doors shut, Connor and Danny leaning against it as the Terror Bird rammed its head into the wood several times. It splintered and creaked but remained firmly on its hinges.
Whirling around, Abby threw her shoulder into the wooden shaft that covered the window. It wasn't latched and kept billowing upwards as the birds outside knocked against it. She gasped and pulled back as a sharp beak broke through, snapping at her arms as she maneuverer her way out of its grasp.
"Danny!" Sofi yelled over her shoulder, as she too braced herself against the wooden frame.
"Abby!" Connor called, tossing her a bit if chain. "Sofi!"
Sofi caught the rounders bat he tossed her way and, holding it by the shaft, stabbed the handle through the hole a Bird had created. It cawed in anger and surged forward, snapping through a second slat of wood with its sharp and powerful beak.
Wood splintered from all directions, and Sofi gasped in sharply as beaks and claws raked at her face, arms and legs. At one point a claw struck the bottom of the house, ripping through the dress on her thigh and leaving an angry bloody wound behind.
Sofi whimpered but the pain was masked by the adrenaline currently racing through her body.
Then, Danny was there. He was holding a candlestick holder and, using the flat round bottom, smashed it at the beak protruding through a hole in the wood just inches from Sofi's face.
The bird pulled back and disappeared but was quickly replaced by the beady eye of another.
"There's too many of them!" Sofi said, the blood from her wound seeping down her leg. It was red hot against her flushed skin, and the pain was starting to break through the adrenaline.
Danny half-glanced at her. Her face was flushed with strain and sweat, and her eyes reflected the fear that they all were feeling. "I have an idea," he said, pulling back and falling against the double doors with Connor. "But I have to go back in that room."
Connor looked at Danny like he had suddenly gone mad. There was more than one Terror Bird in the living room, and he wanted to go back in? "What - Danny!" he cried, as Danny shoved past him, opened the door and dashed out.
"What's he doing?!" Abby and Sofi yelled.
There was a split second, the Terror Birds were still attacking from the outside of the house, it's foundations shaking roughly and sending more and more splintered wood into the air.
Then Danny was back, clutching the record player.
"What's that going to do?!" Connor asked.
Danny slipped the record into his shirt and turned to the window above them. It was deprived of any steps, and Sofi could only guess that was what the ladder from earlier was for. But it now lay in the living room.
"I have to get to the bunker," said Danny, hoisting himself up onto a nearby stool and grasping the window pane with both hands. He punched through the wooden slacks protecting it, and eased himself through, onto the roof.
Sofi shared a look with Abby and Connor. She liked Danny. He was a great team leader after Nick and Jenny, but as Jenny had once complained he over did the Alpha Male thing quite a bit. They were supposed to be a team, and a team worked together in times of crisis, not separated from one another, especially not without telling their teammates whatever stupid plan they had concocted.
"Connor!"
Danny's voice, full of fear and panic, echoed from outside. Connor pulled himself up onto the stool and peered through the window.
"Connor, do something!"
"He's surrounded, isn't he?" Sofi asked.
Connor nodded and made for the back door. He grabbed a led pipe and opened it, disappearing into the exposed outdoors. The door closed behind him and Sofi shared a panicked look with Abby.
"Hey!" Connor called. "Over here! Hey! Over here! I'm so much tastier than him."
"CONNOR!"
Sofi watched tears form in Abby's eyes as Connor and Danny's screams reached them from outside the cabin. Connor was also screaming in fear, and the Terror Birds were screeching and scratching at the underside of the house.
"Connor…" Abby choked.
Sofi clung to Abby's arm as she made her way to the stool that both Connor and Danny had used to get to the upper window. "What are you doing?" she asked, as Abby shook her loose.
"We have to get out of here," said Abby, pulling herself through the window and onto the roof. She turned back to the friend and reached out a hand.
Sofi took it, but as she was climbing onto the stool, a beak appeared in the wall beside her, nudged her stomach and sent her stumbling backward. Pain spasmed from her leg and she fell to her knees against the wall, as more blood seeped down her leg.
"Abby!" Sofi cried.
Abby was nowhere to be seen in the window, and Sofi feared that she had either slipped from the roof or been pulled down by the Terror Birds.
As more pain and blood leaked down her leg, Sofi pushed herself into a corner of the kitchen and buried her face in her knees. She was alone inside a house that was surrounded by killer prehistoric birds, and she had no idea whether her friends were alive or dead.
"Ryan…" Sofi whimpered, tears cresting her eyes and running down her cheeks. She really really needed help right now, and not knowing if her friends were alive or dead made things ten times worse.
Crash. Crash. Crash.
Sofi lifted her head and watched as an escape hatch in the floor pushed against the boxes and furniture on top of it. It rattled against its hinges, and Sofi feared that the Terror Birds had made it under the cabin's support beams and were attempting to gain access from the floor. If they managed to get in the back room then she was as good as dead, she had nowhere to go, seeing as the house was surrounded, all the windows had been barricaded to keep the birds out, and she had locked the door behind Connor to stop anything from getting in.
She was well and truly trapped. The team had did everything they could to protect themselves, and in doing so had trapped themselves.
"Ryan…" Sofi cried again. She wanted to go home. She would've taken an invasion at the ARC over being trapped here without any protection any day, at least dealing with Christine Johnson and her delusions of grandeur were a lot easier than extinct birds with razor sharp claws and beaks.
The escape hatch exploded open, throwing all the boxes on top of it rolling across the room. Sofi squeaked and drew herself further into the corner. If she could make herself seem as small as possible, maybe the birds would overlook her and leave.
"Sofi!"
Sofi gasped and looked up, her tear-streaked face shining in the afternoon light. Through her tears she made out Connor, and her heart swelled at the sight of him. Untangling herself from her own grip, she threw herself across the floor and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Come on!" Connor said, grabbing her around the middle and pulling her through the hatch with him. She dropped to the ground and rolled onto her back as Connor jumped down beside her, closing the hatch above them. A black beady eye appeared seconds later, and a sharp beak broke through.
Sofi squeaked and buried her face into Connor's shoulder.
"Where's Abby?" Connor asked.
"She was the roof!" Sofi said, her whole-body quaking in fear.
"What?" Connor asked.
Trembling, Sofi clung to Connor's arm as the black beady eyes of two Terror Birds stared back at her from the hatch. They alternated between eyes and beaks, trying desperately to get at both her and Connor as they lay, as still as possible, curled up under the house.
"Sofi!" Abby's voice called from a distance. At least she was alive.
Then, the soft ethereal music from the record player sounded from a distance. It was low over the shattering and splintering of wood, the caws of the birds, and the scrapping of beaks and claws on the sides and floors of the house.
Soon, the music ended, and the distant cry of a distressed bird sounded.
The shaking stopped and, through the slacks surrounding the foundations, Sofi was able to see the Terror Birds heading towards the bunker. They disappeared, and both Connor and Sofi untangled themselves from one another.
Connor rolled out of the cellar first and looked around. Once he was sure everything was safe and calm, he turned and offered a hand to Sofi.
Still trembling, Sofi leaned against the side of the house as Connor looked up towards the roof.
"Abby?" Connor called.
Abby's face appeared at the edge, relief danced across her face and she let out a breath of air. She knelt and eased herself over the side, landing with a stumble beside Connor. He caught her and steadier her and then hugged her tightly, relieved that she was still with him.
"What happened?" Connor asked, spying Sofi's leg. She had moved her dress to inspect the wound, having not had a proper chance until now.
"One of the birds," Sofi answered. She ripped her dress and used the material to press against her wound. She hissed and pulled the cloth away, blood spreading quickly over the fabric. It was the same colour as the dress, so it was hardly seen on the surface.
Abby knelt beside her friend and inspected the wound. It was covered in wood splinters and dirt, and if they didn't get it checked soon it could easily become infected. "Can you walk?" she asked.
"I can limp," said Sofi.
"Here," said Connor, winding his arm around Sofi's waist and helping her up. He half carried; half walked her towards the bunker where the music had been coming from. It had now stopped, and he could only hope that the birds were gone, along with the anomaly.
~X~
The bunker was destroyed. Debris, consisting of shattered glass, broken drawers, and papers, littered the floor. The generator crackled with the last ounces of juice it had, and on the side was Danny's strap. Sofi picked it up and showed it to Abby and Connor.
"Danny," Connor sighed.
The door to the observation station creaked and then swung open, revealing Danny standing behind it. He was holding the rim of his trousers with his fist. "Anyone got a belt?" he asked. "These trousers are a nightmare."
Laughter escaped the trio, and Sofi passed Danny his straps. He looped the hook back into the belt hoops and tossed the strap over his shoulder, looping them at the back. He then stepped out of the observation chamber, beaming at the others.
"What happened to you?" Danny asked, noticing how Sofi had her arm around Connor and was sitting on the edge of the table near the generator. He looked down, his gaze catching the glimpse of red on her thigh. His eyes widened and he looked back up, meeting her gaze in a panic.
Sofi waved him off. "I'll be fine once we get out of here," she said.
"That's only going to happen if they've dealt with Johnson," said Connor. He wound his arm around Sofi's waist again and helped her stand. "Come on. Let's see if there is anything at the cabin that can help us clean up your leg."
Sofi nodded and hobbled out of the bunker. Abby and Danny following behind them.
"Good idea to use that record to attract the birds," said Abby.
"I'm just chuffed you care so much, Connor," Danny teased. Connor had willingly put his life in danger to protect Danny.
Connor glanced back. "What?" he asked.
Sofi chuckled and squeezed Connor's firmly around the hips.
The cocking of a gun froze the team in their tracks. Sofi closed her eyes against the spasm of pain in her leg, and then opened them, stunned to find the solider at the other end of the gun, which was pointed directly at her and the team, to be Becker.
"What are you -?" Sofi cut off as Jayden and Ryan appeared behind her brother, and behind them came a small arm of Johnson's own.
"Stay where you are," Becker ordered. "You're all under arrest."
"Oh, you've got to be joking," Danny said, looking around. More of Johnson's own men were coming out of the trees, each of them armed and aiming pistols and assault rifles at the team.
Sofi tried to meet Jayden's gaze, but he avoided her like his life depended on it. She glanced at Ryan and found him scanning her from head to toe. His eyes lingered on her leg and then finally met her eyes once more. He looked to be fighting with himself.
"My orders are to take you back to the ARC," Becker said. "I'm authorised to use deadly force if I have to."
"Your Johnson's man now?" Connor asked.
"I'm just following orders," Becker replied.
Danny shook his head. "Like a good little soldier boy," he said.
"Where's the artifact?" Becker asked. He glanced between Connor and Sofi, knowing full well that one of them had it.
Reaching behind her, Sofi fingered her backpack protectively. The artifact, along with John Mortimer's research papers, were nestled safely inside. Since Captain Ross had found it at the Cabin, and Danny had got it back after his death, she hadn't let it out of her sight.
~X~
The ride back the ARC was painfully silent.
Sofi rode with Danny, Ryan and Jayden in one car, while Becker, Abby, and Connor rode in another behind them.
Once at the car, Jayden had offered Sofi a bandage from the first aid kit and she had used it to tidy up her leg. The white fabric was a large contrast against her red dress, but at least the wound was clean and safely secured.
The ARC was, despite the hostile takeover that morning, running smoothly. There was a large military presence throughout the main room, and Sofi noticed men in white lab coats in her lab, some of them poking and prodding Topaz, from outside his cage which was now settled on her desk, and others were going through her files. One thing she noticed, and she was glad of in a way, was that they seemed confused on the language in which she had written her notes.
Plus, her laptop, which was opened, was still on the log in page. Which meant they hadn't been able to crack her password.
Sofi furrowed her brow and glanced at Ryan. He knew her password - he knew the cipher - so why hadn't he told Johnson it? Why was he on her side and still refusing to help her access important files that everyone knew Sofi had. None of this made any sense.
Becker led the team up the ramp to Lester's office, but instead of James Lester sitting behind his desk Christine Johnson did instead. She beamed at their entry and stood, holding out her hands as Becker, carrying Sofi's backpack, reached inside and pulled out the artifact. It was unharmed, despite the hell that had happened today.
"Excellent work, Captain," Johnson said, sitting again and beaming up at Becker. "I can see you're a man with real potential."
"Very kind, madam," said Becker. He stood, with his arms behind his back, his face expressionless, in front of the desk. Meanwhile, Sofi, Danny, Abby, and Connor leaned against the window on the left-hand side of the office.
Sofi took a deep breath, her hands tightening around the railing as she tried to keep as much pressure off her injured leg as possible.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Danny muttered.
"I'd have a little more respect if I were you, Quinn," Johnson said through gritted teeth. "You're looking at a very serious charge of stealing government property."
"Last I checked," said Sofi, gasping as another spasm of pain rippled up her leg. She breathed in sharply and then released it as Danny wound an arm around her waist, supporting her against him and taking pressure from her leg. "Last time I checked… we worked for the government, and the artifact was left in our care. We can't steal what's already ours."
Johnson shot her a cold look, also. "You worked for the Government," she said, icily. "Under my control, the ARC doesn't employ freelance staff."
The door opened and James Lester walked inside. "Hello, Christine," he greeted, pleasantly.
"You're not authorised to enter this facility, James," Christine said, surprised to see him.
"I think you're sitting my chair," James said. He didn't seem unperturbed by her comments, and just carried on like no one had spoken.
Johnson glanced at Becker. "Captain, would you mind escorting this troublesome man from the building?" she asked. "Oh, and take his cohorts with him," she added, turning to the field team. She smiled, coldly.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, ma'am," said Becker.
"What?" Johnson asked, her voice tense.
Danny frowned and glanced down at Sofi. She shrugged as she met his gaze.
Becker turned to Jayden.
Jayden smirked, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small recording device. He pressed the play button and set it on the desk.
The silence was broken by Johnson's voice.
"The Minister is an imbecile who can barely blow his own nose. Do you really think I'm going to let a Whitehall glove puppet with the IQ of a root vegetable tell me how to do my job?"
Sofi coughed to cover a snort as the recording ended.
"Yes, Captain Becker recorded it and I sent a copy to Whitehall," said Lester. "Oh, that reminds me. The Minister wants to see you. Actually, he did seem a little upset."
Christine swallowed; her face white as she glared at James.
"Christine, I did tell you it wasn't over," said James. He met Johnson's glare with a simple smile.
"No, James, it most certainly is not," said Christine. She seemed to be holding her breath. To hold in her anger, maybe? Or even her embarrassment to be caught in such a humiliating corner? Also, to have her honest thoughts exposed to the Prime Minister of the UK was not something she had been expecting to ever happen to her.
Sofi bit back a smile as Johnson set the artifact down on the desk and then stood. She stepped out from behind the table, glanced at Becker, who purposely avoided her gaze, and then strode past Lester without so much as a glance.
Danny, Abby, and Connor burst into laughter and Sofi hobbled across the office to Becker. She threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek, then did the same to Jayden, and finally Ryan, who held her tightly to him, burying his face into her shoulder and inhaling deeply.
"You are my heroes!" said Sofi, twisting in Ryan's arms but remaining leaning against him.
"And mine," said Lester. "But don't expect any kisses from me."
Jayden pretended to pout, but it disappeared as Lester glared at him.
Sofi laughed and punched Jayden's shoulder.
"Well, haven't you all got work to do?" Lester asked, taking his rightful place behind the desk. He picked up a blue folder and looked it over, before raising an eyebrow at the team as they continued to loiter in his office.
Danny cleared his throat and looked at Becker. "Sorry, mate, I was out of order," he said.
"It's okay, just don't call me Soldier Boy again," said Becker.
Sofi laughed and glanced back at Ryan. She smiled and turned her head, resting her cheek on his shoulder as he kissed her head.
"Let's get your thigh looked at, shall we?" Ryan asked, resting his forehead against Sofi's.
"Yes, please," Sofi replied. Still with Ryan's arm around her, she limped out of the office. Pausing in the doorway and turning to Becker. "Bring my backpack," she told him. "There's papers in there that I haven't finished with."
Becker raised an eyebrow at her. "You were in hiding," he said. "Where did you find papers to research?"
"Oh, do we have a story for you," said Sofi, glancing at the others. "You thought the ARC was bad today. Trust me when I tell you a hostile takeover by Johnson is nothing compared to what we went through. Just bring my backpack. Oh, and I want that artifact back in my lab. We still need to figure out how to open it, Connor."
Connor nodded, picked up the artifact from Lester's desk and followed the others out of the office.