Chapter 28

Tomorrow Was Too Late

"Skye .. Bucket .. if you can hear this, you need to come back, as quickly as you can. She's dying, Skye. She may not make it through another night. Please, come home.

..

We need you."

"I can't believe this. How many times do I have to come back to this revolting dump?"

He cast a look of disgust around at his dull surroundings. Dressed in tattered brown and black, the soldier wasn't so colorful himself - in appearance anyway - but he loathed the gloomy city with every fiber of his being. His gaze returned to the road as he carefully navigated his way through the mass of misty warehouses, the Rover blending with its muted environment as though it was partially cloaked with invisibility. The soldier's lip curled as he continued his one-sided pity fest.

"What am I, some kind of errand boy in a video game? "Go here, get that! Bring her home, boyo!" I swear, I should just run off and start my own business - "Richardson's Fetching Services". I'm sure I could find someone to take the locator out .."

He glanced down at the tablet map in his hand, looking back up to squint around for any trace of a recognizable landmark to help with his navigation.

"Come on, I mean, what are the chances of her actually having survived to this point, let alone made it here? Maybe she's been and gone," He reasoned with himself as he continued, trying to convince himself he was going in the right direction. "Maybe she's on her way back to the dock. Maybe she's lying dead under a bridge. Sarkovovich said he saw her yesterday, but she could've died in a day and a half. She-"

He broke off and swung around in his seat, almost driving off the street and into a nearby building. The feeling was back. The sense that something was watching his every move. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe he'd just forgotten how the future felt. Eyes on every corner. He shuddered, pulling the vehicle back into the centre of the road. Nasty place.

A few minutes later, the Rover slid to a stop with a crunch. Richardson peered out the windows, ignoring the sound and trying not to imagine what manner of things might be stuck to the wheels beneath him at this point.

"Well, would you look at that .." He muttered to himself, peering down to check the map once more. A satisfied smile spread across his face as he eyed the low building. "Always said I could find my way blindfolded in the middle of a snowstorm. Guess I was right."

He clicked open the door and swung it away from him, pulling his rebreather on and jumping out cheerfully. He paused as his feet hit the ground, casting a hesitant glance back the way he had come. After a moment, he shook his head.

"Nothing there, stupid. Stop freaking yourself out and get on with it."

The building he had been sent to find sat waiting on the other side of the street. In the neighborhood of giant warehouses, the storefront seemed tiny and out of place. It was hard to imagine anything of significance being kept inside. But, orders was orders. He shrugged carelessly and crossed the road.

The door was locked. Sighing a little, the soldier stepped back, pulling his pistol out of his holster. The door opened with a bang.

The inside of the building was even darker than the street outside. Richardson crept in slowly, his gun held upright in front of him. It was early afternoon, peak trading hours in Chicago. Where was everyone? Something was off about this place. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw what it was. Situated on opposite sides of the room, two people had paused to stare up at him in confusion as he entered. The man sitting at a small table to his left interested him little. It was the girl behind the counter that snagged his attention. His eyes locked on hers as he stepped forward eagerly.

"Well, well-"

"Who are you?"

He had lowered his pistol in surprise as he caught sight of her. Surely she would be just as happy to see him as he was to have found her. Big mistake. In the darkness, he had failed to notice the gun resting in the shadows on the countertop. Now it was pointed at his face. The girl eyed him antagonistically.

"What do you want?"

There was the slightest quiver in her voice, but the hand holding the pistol was steady. Richardson smiled a little, his own gun held loosely in his hand.

"Easy there, Spy Tate. I've been sent to find you."

The girl seemed to hesitate at that, but the gun didn't move an inch.

"Who are you?" She demanded again, her voice a little stronger than before.

He rolled his eyes and brought his free hand up slowly, pulling down the rebreather. She seemed to relax somewhat as she recognized his face.

"You .."

"Richardson. Thanks for remembering." He retorted, holstering his weapon and raising his eyebrows at her. "May I move about the room now?"

"Just .. stay on that side." Skye muttered, her attention already shifting away from him. She returned to the drawers under the counter as he closed the door behind him, leaning on it casually to watch her. After a few moments, he grew bored with the activity and his attention swung to the man nearby. The storekeeper was leaning on his hand, watching the proceedings with a negligent air. Richardson's eyes flicked back to Skye and then returned to the man curiously.

"What, you're just gonna let her do that? Why aren't you trying to stop her?"

The man snorted loudly.

"What do I look like, an idiot? It's not my shop, I ain't gonna try and stop a crazy person with a gun."

For some reason, Richardson seemed to find this amusing. He chuckled for a moment or two before venturing his next question.

"Why - Worsen, is it?" He interrupted himself, peering down at the name tag pinned on the front of the man's shirt. "Why didn't you set the alarm off then?"

"Mercer." The small man glared daggers at him, then shrugged defensively. "And it is off. Goes off automatically. Doesn't make any difference. Police never come to this part of town."

"Why not?"

The storekeeper snorted.

"Search me. Last I heard, it was some nonsense about the risk outweighing the benefit."

Richardson scoffed.

"Figures."

With a disgusted shake of his head, he diverted his attention away from the failings of the social justice system, calling out to Skye across the floor.

"Why are you out ransacking shops anyway, if I may ask?"

She didn't look up as she paused, her forehead creased, her eyes flicking back and forth as she read several different labels in succession.

".. Kensinge didn't tell you?"

"Believe it or not, we didn't sit down with a nice cup of tea and discuss your whole life story before she shipped me off to this joyless void."

He smiled briefly as Skye's eyes darted over to him.

"Bit touchy about that, are we?"

He sneered bitterly.

"Can you blame me for hating this place?"

"Nope."

She returned to her rummaging, but stopped again a moment later as another frown touched her face. She glanced up at him quickly.

"Hey, why would Kensinge send you here to find me anyway?"

Richardson chuckled under his breath.

"Don't be touched. From one soldier to another, it wasn't out of the goodness of her heart, I can tell you that much."

Skye seemed to contemplate this for a moment in silence. Then Richardson raised an eyebrow as she knelt, disappearing beneath the counter.

"So .. what are you doing?"

"Looking." The muffled voice came back amidst the clattering of glass.

"I can see that." Richardson muttered. "For what?"

The storekeeper's slightly alarmed voice delayed any potential response.

"Hey, be careful, will you?! Those vials aren't as sturdy as they look!"

Richardson's glance flicked sideways to rest on the agitated man. Evidently he did care about his merchandise after all. Folding his arms, the soldier's his gaze returned to the counter, his monotone voice crossing the room once more.

"Looking for what?"

There was no answer for several seconds, but the clattering had stopped. Then the girl jumped up from behind the bench, appearing so abruptly that she resembled a living jack-in-the-box.

"This!" Skye squeaked, holding up the two vials in triumph. Even in the dim light, they seemed to glitter brightly.

"I found them .." She murmured reverently as she lowered her arm, her thumb caressing the cold glass. "I almost can't believe it .."

"Well, lah-dee-dah for you." Came the humorless response from across the room. "Can we go now? I left the engine running."

Skye frowned at the storekeeper instead, acting like she hadn't heard him.

"Is this all there is?"

The man lounging on the table gave a short laugh.

"You people do know the meaning of the term 'experimental' facility, right? Now could you just hurry up and get out of here so I can get back to my game over there. I'm already 30 points behind."

Skye was rereading the labels and didn't answer, so Richardson took the burden upon himself.

"Don't stress yourself out, little man." He grinned. "We'll be out of your hair before you can say 'halitosis'."

Mercer glared up at him.

"I don't appreciate the snide remarks, but I'd be much obliged."

Skye had paused and raised her head, her eyebrows lowered slightly. After a moment or two, she glanced questioningly at the soldier.

"Do you hear that?"

"I told you, I left the engine running." Richardson responded carelessly. "Don't worry, that thing'll last for days."

Skye's eyes had shifted to the square window over his shoulder.

".. Richardson .."

"Of course, I wouldn't complain if you-"

"Richardson!"

"What .. ?" He sounded almost hurt, but then the look in her eyes caused his heart to flip. He'd seen that look before. Slowly, he turned to peer behind him. All he managed to catch was a glimpse of a long tail disappearing from view. He turned back to Skye, his voice significantly less cavalier this time.

"Did you see what it was?"

"Empirosaur." She responded quickly, her own voice equally subdued. The storekeeper, however, had leapt up in horror.

"What?! What do you mean-"

"Shh!" The reply came in unison, as Skye left her place of safety behind the counter. The soldier peered out the window again as she pulled up beside him.

"Looked like he was headed for the Rover."

"Great idea to leave the engine running." She muttered.

"How was I supposed to know?!" Richardson hissed back in reply, causing a hysterical laugh to escape from the man to his right.

"You two are out of your minds."

He was ignored.

"He might have moved on by now."

"Or he might be making friends with your Rover." Skye retorted. "Only one way to find out though-"

Before she could finish, a deafening bang shook the shop. A few feet away, a section of the wall spontaneously exploded. Dust and debris rained down from above, instantly transforming the small store into some sort of demolition zone. Across the room, the dented Rover lay on its side, propped up against the counter where Skye had been just a moment earlier. Richardson gasped, pressed firmly back against the remains of the wall.

"That the way you were thinking of, Tate?"

Skye glanced up at him, eyes wide.

"Not exactly."

Leaning forward cautiously, they bent to peer around the corner. Through the new feature window leading out onto the street, a couple of Nykoraptors trotted past, pausing to caw at each other before turning tail and speeding off down the pathway. Richardson raised an eyebrow at her as they disappeared around the edge of the building.

"Think they did that?"

Skye eyed him for a few seconds, her expression unreadable.

"You ever see two Nykos throw a Rover before?"

"Up until recently, I'd never seen two Nykos before." Richardson muttered. "Those glorious days .."

"What do you think they're doing here?"

"What are any of us doing here?"

Skye turned back to him dryly, one eyebrow raised.

"That was a question, not an invitation to have an existential crisis."

"My bad."

"Two what?!"

They turned to find the man beside them gaping up at them in wonder. Skye and Richardson exchanged a glance.

"Raptors." The Phoenix soldier responded finally. "Like people, but faster and with longer necks."

Skye stifled a grin as the other man's expression turned into one of vacant horror. Richardson peered around the corner again. The misty street was empty. He pulled back into the shadow of the broken wall, leaning his head against it thoughtfully.

"Darn things must've followed me from the docks. Guess the Spino led the procession."

"So this really is all your fault."

"If you properly stop and think about it, it's actually your fault-" He dropped his gaze to smile at her sarcastically. "Either way, I don't think my ride's going anywhere soon. Guess we're hiking back to the docks."

She lowered her eyelids blandly at him for a moment, then shrugged.

"Ah, I was in the mood for a walk anyway."

The soldier chuckled as he checked his gun, then turned his attention to hers, held loosely in her left hand. Her right was still clutched around the vials. He nodded down at them.

"If I were you, I'd put those somewhere fast. Once we get out there, I don't want my neck on the line because you couldn't find a spare hand to prep your gun."

She followed his gaze, rolling them gently in her fingers. She might as well have been holding her mother's own blood. If anything happened to them .. but it wouldn't. Very carefully, she slipped them into the pocket of her pants. Held snugly by the material, there was little likelihood of them cracking against each other as she moved around. Provided she avoided throwing herself into things like an absolute mental case, they should be secure enough.

She looked up at Richardson, who nodded in response. He transferred his weight to his back foot and stepped forward, only to reverse abruptly into Skye a second later. Over his shoulder, she saw a shadow form in the opening. Richardson shrank back further, pressing Skye into the man behind her. The storekeeper's breath fell heavily onto her neck, causing her to shiver. Between the jagged bricks of the broken wall, a long slice of dark skin slid into the shop. The nose was followed by an eye - though, thankfully, not a very observant one. The creature stretched its neck out toward the counter, its attention captured by the Rover in front of it. Richardson flinched a little as a long-fingered hand appeared near his face, the claws wrapped around the edge of the wall. The creature rested an identical hand on the other side for a moment, and then pushed, propelling its shoulders through the gap and right into the foyer of the shop. It was bigger than it had looked earlier. The Spinosaur had barely managed the feat of entry.

Speaking of feat, its leg was the next part to come through, balancing atop the bottom lip of the hole temporarily before landing beside Richardson, clawed toes splayed out. Moving slowly so as not to alert the creature, the soldier crept past the giant foot, squeezing out of the opening and into the street. He leaned on his knees in relief, taking a few deep breaths. Skye appeared beside him again momentarily, followed by Mercer, who had decided his chances were probably better with the two crazy humans than with the monster inside, whose jaw seemed to dwarf his entire body.

The Spinosaur's long tail swung suddenly in the other direction as it examined the Rover, causing its shadow to fly over the street. All three members of the human committee decided it was time to move at once. Following Richardson, who had become the designated leader by default, they crept toward the nearest corner, relaxing a little as they reached it and dipped down the side street. They'd barely gone two steps when Richardson turned and shoved them, none too gently, forcing them to scramble back to the other side. They stared at him in surprise, but before they could question him, he held up a hand to silence them, pointing around the corner with a peculiar expression. Skye crept forward, somewhat afraid of the sight that might await her. She was almost relieved by what she found.

Several meters away, a large dumpster lay fallen on its side, its contents spilled out into the street. Something was half-way in, rummaging around with interest and causing the garbage bin to shudder, its tail swishing happily back and forth behind it. Another animal was wandering around on top of the dumpster, throwing its head in the air every few seconds to sniff, its bright eyes flicking around to scan the area. The lookout. Skye crept back to exchange a glance with Richardson, while Mercer stared at them with almost delirious eyes.

"What? What is it?"

"Raptors." Richardson murmured grimly. "Must've circled back. Better go that way."

"You've got my vote." The storekeeper announced under his breath, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead at the thought of encountering the two creatures in the murky alley.

The other end of the street was wide and straight, continuing on until it melted into the mist some meters away. The lack of potential hiding spots put them at a significant disadvantage, but as they were all of much the same mind about the Nykoraptor situation, they didn't hesitate. Unfortunately, the pharmacy's latest and greatest customer appeared to have grown bored with the Rover at the very same time. As they crossed the street, putting as much distance between themselves and all three animals as possible, the Spinosaur's head appeared again. He pushed himself forward, emerging from the store as though he was coming out of his new burrow, having somehow managed to perform a tight turn inside. Three-quarters of the way out, he paused, lowering his head a little as he stared across the road directly at them. Horrified, they froze as well. The Spinosaur continued to stare. Then a hoarse bark broke forth from the direction of the corner, followed by another that sounded even closer still. The three humans and the Spinosaur turned their heads in the same direction at once. Two whole seconds went by. Nobody moved. The raptors seemed to be taking their sweet time. Maybe they had gotten distracted by something and gone another way. When another two seconds had passed, Skye recovered her senses, turning to Mercer slowly.

"Go." She hissed, prodding the indignant man beside her. "Run."

The look he gave her was one of absolute distrust, as though he suspected her of trying to feed him to the carnivore herself. Richardson had no such misgivings. He burst out running like a shot, with Skye close behind. The storekeeper gaped for a moment, and then, as the Spinosaur gradually swung its head in his direction, he gave a strange little whimper and kicked his own legs into gear. A deep, rhythmic thumping started up behind them. Skye looked over her shoulder and almost lost the use of her shaking knees. The Spinosaur was gaining rapidly, its strides eating up the street that divided them. They couldn't outrun something so massive! It was madness to try. She darted sideways, calling out to Richardson in the process.

"Shoot it!" She yelled, waving her arms above her head as she spun to meet it. The animal stopped with a thud, its fingers twitching as it watched her curiously. She planted her feet, holding her pistol up towards its face. The Spinosaur didn't move. The two stood there for several seconds in the middle of the street, neither one inclined to break the stalemate. It was Richardson's gun that shattered the silence. The Spinosaur screamed in anger as the bullets implanted themselves in his neck, drawing blood through the thick skin. Turning on Richardson, it flicked its tail like a whip, extending its hands in his direction as its raspy voice rang out across the divide. Nearly beheaded by the creature's tail, Skye threw herself sideways, landing on the pavement with a sickening crunch and knocking the wind out of her lungs. As her swimming vision cleared, her stomach lurched, her heart freezing as she remembered the glass tubes.

"No .. no, no .."

Rolling over to sit up, she slowly reached a hand toward her right pocket, struggling as though some invisible force was fighting to hold her arm back. She broke out into a cold sweat, her insides twisting. She seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. In what seemed like slow motion, she slid her hand inside, her fingertips finding the cool glass. Heart racing unevenly, she slipped the vials out, battling the urge to close her eyes as she turned them over in her hand. Staring, she rotated them once, twice. The wave of nausea that had washed over her broke, flowing back into the invisible sea from whence it had come. She had barely dared to hope, but it was true .. somehow, they weren't broken. Miraculously, there wasn't even a scratch on them. She got to her feet, temporarily forgetting about the dinosaur in her moment of shock. She wasn't allowed to forget about it for long.

"Get back!"

Coming out of nowhere, Richardson suddenly appeared in front of her, slamming her backward into the wall. Not a moment too soon. A millisecond later, a long snout snapped down on the air where she had just been, the jaws making a loud clap as they struck together. Knocked from her grasp by this second impact, Skye's pistol flew to the ground, skidding along the pavement. Richardson left her side to dive after it. Skye didn't notice. Her attention instead was locked on her right hand. Scraped badly and numb from the impact with the brick, she had managed to hold onto the tubes when her wrist hit the wall. The problem lay in protection. Her knuckles had taken the brunt of the force, but she had been unable to save the ends of the vials from making contact with the brick. The two objects had collided hard. With wide, terrified eyes, she surveyed the damage. The thin tubes had shattered nearly beyond recognition.

In disbelief, Skye numbly fingered the glass shards, watching as they sparkled wetly in the aqua liquid, unconscious of the fact that some of her blood was mixing with them. She had spent so many hours searching, she had endured so many nights - many of which had been the coldest and most terrifying she had ever known - and now, to have it all snatched away in an instant ..

It was beyond cruel .. it was impossible.

She slumped back against the wall with a hysterical laugh. The shards in her hand glittered as they caught the reflection of a nearby hologram, winking at her as though they were laughing too. On the other side of the street, someone was screaming. Backed into a corner by the Spinosaur, the storekeeper Mercer was learning just how small he was in the grand scheme of things.

"Help! Help me!" He cried hoarsely, the animal's large eyes locked on his. Whether by accident or by design, his life was spared by Richardson, who distracted the creature at the perfect second by tripping over a broken parking meter on his way back to Skye. As it happened, the storekeeper reached her first.

Sucking in large gulps of air, his chest wheezing with the exertion of the current round of cat-and-mouse, Mercer fell back on the wall, grasping at his ribs as though he was about to have a heart attack on the spot. He peered down at Skye, who was now sitting at his feet, leaning against the same wall. If he had expected any sympathy from that sector, he was disappointed. Skye had eyes for nothing but the inky mix of red and blue that was currently dripping from her hand onto the sidewalk.

"That looks bad." He offered, casting an uneasy glance around. No sign of either Richardson or the Spinosaur. They appeared to have chased each other out of sight.

"You should get it looked at. Not by me." He added hurriedly. "I'm not a doctor."

Something about his words helped to connect Skye's disjointed thoughts. As her mind swam out of its fog, she spun to face him, an almost feverish desperation in her gaze.

"These .. These can't have been the last of them! You must have more somewhere!"

The man shook his head sadly, almost sorry to disappoint this girl who was obviously a few straws short of a haystack.

"I'm afraid those were definitely the last."

Skye looked down at her hand again, shaking her head as she closed her fist around the razor-edged slices.

"You don't understand. I need this medicine. I can't go home without it!"

The man raised his arm, dabbing his damp forehead with his sleeve.

"Well, in that case, I suppose you're going to Oregon .. if you make it out of here alive. Who knew Chicago could get this primeval, huh?! Well, safe travels!"

"Oregon." Skye's heartbeat quickened, hope surging back into her chest once more. "That's less than an hour by monorail. We can make it!"

As she said this, a shadow slid to a stop beside her and Richardson reappeared, parts of his shredded shirt showing the signs of several recent close calls. She leapt to her feet, turning to him hopefully, but the pharmacist was already shaking his head.

"Not that Oregon. Portland .. Oregon."

Skye's heart instantly plummeted.

"But that's .. that's across the country."

"Yyyyyep."

She was silent for a moment, then looked up once more, meeting the soldier's eyes unwaveringly.

"If we leave now, we could be there by tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow?" Richardson interrupted, his voice void of all emotion. "Sorry, tomorrow doesn't work for me. My orders are to bring you back ASAP. I'm not taking a cross-country road trip with you."

Skye turned on him, enraged.

"This was your fault in the first place! If you hadn't-"

"If, if .." The soldier repeated, throwing a look in the pharmacist's direction as the man laughed a little at their antics. "Look, I saved your life."

"None of that matters if I can't save hers!" She was half wailing now, but Richardson, for his part, seemed unperturbed.

"How many days have you been here again? You've had your shot. Now either you come back with me now, or you come back with me now .. unconscious. Cause I'm not going back to Kensinge empty-handed. Up to you."

Skye stared at him, apparently rendered speechless. Richardson stared back, but his crooked smile faltered as he felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. He swung around to face the oncoming Spinosaur as it emerged from the mist, its clawed hand grasping the side of the building for balance. Whatever Richardson had done to it in the interval, it seemed to be noticeably limping.

"You again?!" The soldier muttered irritably. "Honestly, what'll it take to lose this guy?! We gotta get back to the docks. Now."

He grasped Skye's wrist and turned it over, dusting the remaining scraps of glass from her bloody hand. They rained onto the concrete like sleet. As Skye watched them blankly, Richardson bent to stare into her face.

"Think you can run?"

When she didn't respond, he drew his hand back and slapped it sharply across her cheek. Skye stared at him in shock.

"Hey! You in there? Do you think you can run, yes or no?"

She nodded numbly.

"Good. I'll draw his attention. Go round the other side with Mr. Deadweight. I'll catch up with you. Okay?"

She hesitated, eyeing the satchel at his side. She had seen him stuff her pistol into it right after ..

She looked up at his face solemnly, until finally, he looked back at her.

"What?"

"Can I have my gun back?"

He appeared to consider this for a moment, but she wasn't surprised by the answer.

"Hmm .. no. I don't think so." He raised his eyes to scan the area again. The Spinosaur hadn't moved. He returned his gaze to Skye. "After all, you were the one that dropped it. Don't be so careless next time."

She eyed him darkly.

"You shoved me, remember?"

"You managed to hold on to the glass things. Lot of good that did you." Richardson muttered. "You chose some pretty medicine over your own weapon. Consider this an object lesson. Next time, hold on to the gun."

Skye's jaw clenched, but the soldier left her no time to argue further.

"On my mark. Now!"

She watched as he checked his pistol cartridge and took off, his feet beating a steady rhythm against the pavement. He was almost out of bullets. The dark Spinosaur's neck bent to follow him, its head coming around slowly, large eyes tracking his movement. Gradually, its body turned, and it set off after the soldier. Richardson looked like a toy beside the towering reptile. Skye and the shopkeeper waited a few seconds more and then made their own move. Within moments, they found their way blocked again, as the animal's attention returned to them, tiring of the soldier's game. The gun went off again. The Spinosaur acted like he hadn't even heard it.

Richardson darted back, panting hard as he skidded to a stop beside Skye.

"Alright, that's it. He's just playing with us now, and I, for one, am tired of the game. We just have to get past him and down that side street and we're home free. He won't be able to follow us through the gap. I'm going to start counting. When I get to three, we run right at him."

Mercer spun to face Richardson, staring incredulously.

"At him?! Are you crazy?!"

"He'll have a harder time catching us if we're beneath him." Skye murmured. Richardson nodded, but the storekeeper was vehemently shaking his head.

"Ohhhh no, you don't. You're both crazy. If you think I'm going anywhere near that beast, you've got another thing coming."

Richardson ignored him, beginning his countdown anyway as the Spinosaur wandered nearer. It was almost too close for comfort now. The three stood watching it, their feet planted firmly.

"On three we run. One, two-"

He chose not to pay any attention to the storekeeper beside him as Mercer stepped back. He probably should have. Just before he got to 'three', Richardson found himself stumbling forward, the breath knocked violently from his chest as a metal bar collided with the centre of his back. He turned to see Skye going down on one knee beside him. Mercer swung his rod at them from behind, laughing sharply as the bar telescoped inward, returning to the size of his palm in less than a second.

"Three!" He shouted, as the Spinosaur reached down toward them, almost looking as though it was checking to see if they were alright. Mercer turned and ran for his life. "Sorry, kids, looks like you're on the menu tonight!"

The raptor came out of nowhere.

Launching itself by its muscled legs, it flew through the air, colliding with the fleeing storekeeper and taking him with it as it hit the ground. Skye, Richardson, and the Spinosaur stared in surprise for a moment, then turned as the second Nyko appeared nearby, cawing antagonistically at the larger dinosaur, as though it was challenging it to a one-on-one fight - an event which surely would have been suicide for the smaller creature. It didn't seem to care in the least. Nykoraptors were funny like that.

Now there was nothing to do but run. The remaining two fled toward the giant clawed legs, ducking between them and out the other side, Richardson leaping left half-way through as the foot changed position and almost crushed him. The Spinosaur bent to look through its own legs after them, its head upside-down, watching the inverted world in confusion. The raptors took the opportunity to jump at its face. Enraged, the Spinosaur made a low rattling noise in its throat and reared back, stretching its arms out to try and grab the nearest Nyko. The raptor darted clear of the claws, barking mockingly at the larger animal.

Some distance away now, Richardson glanced over his shoulder, chuckling a little as they left the group of bristling creatures behind. It looked as though a fourth world war was about to erupt in the middle of the street. He threw a grin at Skye.

".. you still in the mood for a walk?"

She didn't answer.

They trudged along the dreary streets in silence, no one bothering them as they passed. Not even the sight of the gun caused anyone to give them a second look. Skye's footsteps grew slower as the dock came into view. This was it. She would be sent home, taken back through the portal by force. At best, she would be allowed to return to Terra Nova. At worst, she would become a prisoner in Kebsinge's camp. She would never be able to return, never have another chance to save her mother's life, never find another opportunity to try again. Her eyes slid over to rest on the gun in Richardson's hands. Unlike her own weapon, his carried real bullets, and she had no way of knowing how many remained. She didn't have a hope of escaping if she fled now, not while he still held the gun. Secured to him by a thick leather strap that rested on his shoulder, the odds that she could somehow get the pistol off him were slim at best. It was a desperate, probably even stupid move. But it was her only shot.

She braced herself for the impact and lunged sideways, throwing her elbow into his middle as she tried to wrestle the gun from his grasp. Richardson, surprised by the sudden attack and thrown off balance by the force of it, stumbled sideways a few steps, but managed to keep his feet.

"What-" He fought Skye's hands as she tried to twist the gun around, then kicked out at her, wrenching the weapon away and throwing her to the ground. He stood over her angrily, readjusting the strap as he glared down at her bent head.

"Get a hold of yourself."

Below him, Skye's fingers dug into the gravel.

"It's your fault!" Her voice broke out, cracking on the last word. "If you hadn't-"

"If I hadn't .. what?" He looked down with contempt. "If I hadn't saved your life, guess what? We'd both be in big trouble. So don't give me that. You're a soldier, aren't you? Act like it then. Stop whining. Get up and pull yourself together."

"How .. dare you .." She sat back and looked up at him, tears glittering in her furious gaze. "I'll never go back with you. I hate you."

"What, you're gonna cry now?" Richardson chuckled, shaking his head. "Unbelievable. Get up, come on. You can cry on the boat."

Skye's shoulders slumped a little, but, to the soldier's satisfaction, she moved to do as instructed. He smiled, his mouth twisting in an ugly fashion.

"That's better. Do you need me to carry you the rest of the way, or-"

He broke off mid-sentence, raising his arm to shield his face from the sudden onslaught of tiny rocks that had been flung at him. He released a soft grunt as Skye's shoulder buried itself in his stomach, stepping sideways and throwing her off savagely. He felt a twinge of guilt as she collided with a support beam and went down to her knees once more.

"Well, you're nothing if not persistent. Hey, get up." He kicked at her half-heartedly as she caught her breath. "Is the rest of the Terra Novan army so weak? It's a wonder any of you are still alive. Oh, you're gonna come at me again? Here we go."

He caught her head-on this time, gripping her wrists tightly and causing fresh blood to trickle from her right hand. He cocked his head as he peered down into her face.

"Look at you, practically on the verge of hysteria, clinging to some insane crusade of your own making. You're pathetic. This is no place for you. You might as well just give in and go home."

Skye met his gaze for a moment and then shook her head, slumping weakly, her hands still held up by his grip.

"Stop .."

"Stop what?" Richardson sneered. "You know, there was a time I was almost impressed by you? Guess it just goes to show, you never see a person's real nature until they're broken. If only your friends could see you now .."

"Shut up .." Skye lurched forward, trying to throw herself at him again, but he easily held her back, his grip tightening.

"Make me." His lip curled. "Go on, try it. Can't, can you? You're done. It's over."

He shook her roughly to illustrate the point. Skye didn't bother resisting, absorbing the impact like a rag doll, her head dropped wearily. She was finished.

Just then, an odd sound rang out from the street behind them. Richardson's focus jolted to the side as it repeated itself, more clearly this time. Even Skye's head came up as she heard it. A caw. From the intersection some ways back, two nearly identical figures appeared. The raptors came racing, tilting like motorbikes as they took the corner. Skye stiffened as Richardson dropped her arms.

"Run! Run!"

She didn't argue with this new suggestion. Side by side, they turned and fled, the two animals crying out with delight behind them. They were rapidly closing the gap. The two men at the bow of the boat had noticed them now - all four of them - and had begun gesturing madly, calling out all manner of encouragement at the tops of their lungs, as though the words could somehow attach themselves to the feet of the runners and transform into wings.

They reached the pier just before the Nykoraptors did, with Richardson slightly in the lead. He spun to receive Skye as she slid to a stop, slinging his gun over his shoulder. Reaching for her, he gripped her waist with both hands, helping to push her up and into the waiting arms of one of the men on the boat. Her feet had just touched the deck when she heard a yelp. She twisted around sharply to see Richardson, who had attempted to jump up beside her, yank backwards with a jarring snap. The man at her shoulder turned, white-faced, and yelled for his companions to push the boat off. Below on the dock, Richardson lay screaming, pinned beneath the beast's sickle-like claws as he struggled to put his weapon between his own exposed neck and the snarling raptor's teeth.

Skye stared emotionlessly at the soldier's writhing body as the boat hurriedly pulled away, her ears ringing in the distance. It was a dream. It had to be. None of it had really happened. She was still at home, wasn't she? She'd never been to the future at all. And if she'd never come, she couldn't have failed. The bright liquid of the broken vials swam up into her vision, but she pushed it away. Dreams, that's all they were. Her imagination playing tricks on her. Soon she would wake up and it would all be over.

She didn't retreat when the Nyko abruptly tired of Richardson and decided to make a leap for the boat, didn't flinch when the splash slapped water against her face, didn't jump when the pistols on either side of her unleashed a series of bangs that would have woken the dead. In her mind, she was already far away.

Save a few wild Ovosaurs who appeared to have taken up residence in the area, the whole camp appeared eerily deserted. Skye stared around in surprise as she wandered away from the docks. The boat that had carried her had already disappeared, skirting somewhere around the cliffs to head for places unknown. The blue glow of the portal had vanished as well, leaving Skye very alone in the desolate base.

Her head had cleared somewhat during the trip. The dazed sensation was now replaced by an unwavering determination. She would go back. She had to. She would somehow make Kensinge send her again, and this time, she wouldn't fail. There was only one problem with this plan. Where wasKensinge?

Some instinct cautioned her against calling out, so she picked her way toward the centre hut in silence. If the leader of Base Zero was going to materialize anywhere, the ramshackle centre of operations was probably the best bet. Rundown, dim, and cramped, it appeared to be Kensinge's favourite place in the whole camp. Skye paused in front of it, casting a wary glance up at the flickering blue satellite dish on the roof. At least that was still functioning, though the shack beneath it was barely standing. The door hung slightly ajar. She reached a hand out and gave it a little push. Squeaking momentarily in protest, it slid open with surprising smoothness, the shiny hinges reflecting the light of the afternoon sun. Skye stepped over the threshold.

"Hello?"

"Thought it might be you."

The quiet voice was a little self-satisfied, perhaps, but not unfriendly. As Skye's eyes adjusted to the darkness, the figure at the table shifted, leaning back on it comfortably, as though she was reclining in her own living room. Skye stopped a few feet from her, her eyes catching on a rather unsightly new hole in the wooden wall.

"What happened here? Where is everyone?"

"Shh." Kensinge warned, putting a finger to her lips as Skye's gaze returned to hers. "There are guards everywhere. Not friendly ones either, if you get my drift."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been .. decommissioned." The scientist remarked dryly. "Run out of my own house. I only came back here as a favor for a friend."

Skye stared at her warily.

"How did you get back in if there are guards everywhere?"

"I have my ways." The blonde woman's eyes twinkled. "I was here when they built this place, remember?"

"But .. the fracture." Skye frowned a little. "No one came to meet me at the dock."

"Sorry, couldn't risk being seen."

"I wasn't suggesting I needed a welcome committee." Skye retorted. "Why wasn't I swarmed by guards?"

"They've been running the portal practically non-stop since they arrived." Kensinge muttered, her expression growing dark. "No one bats an eye anymore. Anyone that noticed it this time probably just assumed it was someone else's responsibility. At least, that's what I was counting on."

Skye nodded slowly, then took a deep breath.

"Here's the thing. I appreciate you sending people to find me, but I have to go back." She stepped toward Kensinge as the other woman began to frown. "I didn't get what I needed before, but I know where to find it now. Just give me one more chance."

"I can't do that-"

"Yes, you can!" Skye protested angrily. "If it wasn't for your interference, I would be on my way home right now with the cure. That-"

She hesitated, swallowing her temper as Kensinge's eyes narrowed.

"That .. didn't come out right. Please, I just need one last shot. I saw the medicine, I know I can get it! Just give me a bit more time!"

"I told you, keep your voice down!" The other woman hissed, casting an anxious look around the room. "You don't have any more time, okay?"

"What .." Skye stopped, watching her with a growing sense of apprehension. "What do you mean?"

Kensinge sighed sharply, running a hand through her hair.

"Look, your mom's not gonna hold out much longer. You gotta go home."

"I .. I can't-"

"I'm sorry, kid." The physicist actually looked mildly sympathetic. "But there's nothing more I can do for you. Your place is back there with your family. At the end of the day, that's the only thing that really matters, trust me."

Skye stared at her.

"I know that, why do you think I'm trying to-"

"Go. Home." Kensinge interrupted, sounding unexpectedly fierce. Then her face cleared and she grinned a little. "You still have a home to go back to, after all. For now. You might as well make the most of it while it lasts."

"Thank you for the reminder." Skye grated in annoyance, her desperation momentarily taking a back seat. "But you don't understand. You can't understand. I have to get back there-"

"You have to get back home." The woman grinned briefly again. "Kensinge's orders."

Skye was silent for a little while, then she clenched her fists, glancing up at the other woman miserably.

"Look, I'm sorry. You've helped me out a lot, alright? What will it take for you to send me back one more time? I'll do anything you want, just name it. Anything at all, no questions asked."

Kensinge slouched against the wall, her eyebrows rising in bemusement.

"Unbelievable. I don't think I've ever met anyone that loved the future as much as you."

"I don't love it." Skye murmured wearily. "But I don't have a choice. I have to go back."

The scientist peered at her, tilting her head in a bird-like fashion.

"Even if it means you never see your mother again?"

"She can hold on a few more days. That's all I need."

Kensinge unexpectedly shook her head, perhaps with a little more enthusiasm than was strictly necessary.

"She won't last a few more days."

Skye stared at her in surprise.

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"I don't believe you."

"Fair enough." Reaching into the front pocket of her vest, the physicist pulled out a small device, which she held out to Skye in a friendly manner, as though she was handing out sweets at a tea party. When Skye didn't move to accept it, she jiggled the device up and down enticingly.

"Go on, take it. Press the middle button when you're ready. If you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe him instead."

She waited until Skye took it, then retreated to study the girl when the message began to play. Skye's breath caught in her throat as Lucas' solemn voice filled the tiny shack.

"Skye .. Bucket .. if you can hear this .."

When it had finished, and the dark room had fallen silent once more, Skye looked up to find herself being closely scrutinized by the other woman. A hundred questions were fighting for first place in her mind, but as she met Kensinge's gaze, only one word found its way out.

"How?"

"Must've hacked into the signal array." The scientist shrugged carelessly, retrieving the device and putting back it into her pocket. "Sneaky rat."

Skye stared into space for several seconds, slowly shaking her head.

"It can't be real. You created the recording yourself."

"What?! Why would I go to all that trouble?!" Kensinge laughed incredulously. "Look, believe me or don't, but I'm not sending you back, so either you go home or you stay here with the new guys, and believe me, they're not as friendly as me. Your choice."

As she was speaking, a horrible thought had occurred to Skye. When the physicist finished, she turned to Kensinge with such intensity that the other woman almost jumped backward in fright.

"This is some kind of sick joke, isn't it? Is .." She paused, her resolve wavering in the face of one of her worst fears. "Is the colony .. gone?"

"Not yet." Kensinge's mouth twitched dryly. "Why, you planning some sort of extreme renovation?"

Skye almost collapsed with relief. If the colony was destroyed, surely the physicist would be crowing and rubbing the victory in. Every encounter she had had with Kensinge so far was telling her to believe the woman now. But what did that mean for her mother? She stood, her feet frozen to the spot as her mind spun with indecision. Heather studied her curiously, as though she was assessing the capabilities of one of her technological experiments.

"So." She finally broke the silence. "What do you say? Ready to go home?"

Skye hesitated for several more seconds, but then finally, she nodded. Forgetting her intention to be quiet in her moment of triumph, Kensinge clapped her hands together, making the girl jump.

"Alrighty, that's more like it! I'll take you as far as the field, but then you're on your own- Hey, where's Richardson anyway?" She asked abruptly, as though suddenly remembering the man's existence on the planet. A streak of hatred burned across Skye's face as she dropped her gaze, muttering the next sentence more or less to herself.

"Six feet under, with any luck."

"Eh, doesn't matter." Kensinge airily waved the suggestion aside, freezing a second later as a shadow fell over them. She turned stiffly, relaxing as she recognized her second-in-command.

"Oh, it's just you."

"Just you" closed the door behind him without a sound, then turned back to them, looking seriously from one to the other. As Kensinge began to speak again, Esteban held up a finger in front of his mouth. The parental gesture caused her to bristle with annoyance. Still, she didn't attempt to argue. He stepped forward quietly, his voice low.

"They're on their way back. The usual patrol. I know you wanted 20 minutes, but I've given you as long as I can. We have to go."

Kensinge nodded.

"We're done here anyway."

She turned to tap Skye's shoulder with the back of her hand.

"Come on, kid. I'll even show you my own personal secret entrance. Let's blow this Cretaceous popsicle stand."

The evening sun sank lower in the sky, resembling molten lava as it dipped toward the horizon. At the back of the Infirmary, the small room glowed yellow under the light spilling in from the window. The day was ending. Soon night would fall and darkness would come to claim the colony once more, but for now, the fading brightness was doing everything in its power to stay a little longer. Streams of burnished orange spread out across the red and gold sky, the color melting into pink and then to blue as it touched the edges of the sunset. Beyond it, the heavens were fading to a deep purple, the first smattering of silver stars just starting to bespeckle the darkening atmosphere. It was an awe-inspiring gradient of colours, to be sure. Many people had emerged from their houses to admire it, the breath catching in several throats at the sight. Some declared that they had never seen a more beautiful sunset. It was as though the day, aware that the curtain was falling on its life, had accepted the fact and, rather than mourning it, had chosen to gather all its remaining strength and put it on display, to go out with an explosion of splendor so glorious that it would never be forgotten, a celebration of all that it was.

Lucas stared out at the sight from his position by the bed, his head resting heavily on his arm as his other hand cradled the woman's frail one. Every now and then, his eyes would flick to hers. Deborah's breathing was growing shallower by the minute. It wouldn't be long now. His eyes returned to the window. If only she could see it. If only she knew what a wonderful sight awaited her if she would just open her eyes. If only she would wake up. If only ..

The view grew hazy for a moment as another tear slid down to join the existing damp patch on his arm. Why did it have to end this way? It wasn't right. She had fought so hard. She deserved to live. Skye should be here. It wasn't supposed to be like this. None of it was.

He heard Elisabeth's soft footsteps as she entered the room. He watched her in his mind's eye as she checked the charts above the bed, squeezed Deborah's shoulder lightly as she always did, paused for a moment or two, and then turned away. He heard her footsteps leave the room again. He didn't raise his head. There was no point. Deep down, he knew she didn't expect him to. She understood.

His eyes flicked back to Deborah. She was still breathing. She looked so peaceful lying there, her face resting in the glow from outside. Bathed in colour and light, she almost looked healthy, back to her old self. Lucas' gaze lingered on her for a few seconds more before returning to the sunset. It had reached its peak and was now fading. Soon the darkness would fill the void. There was a sort of beauty in the night as well, but it wasn't the same. How could it be? The night was a time for peace and rest, the kind that couldn't be found in the blinding brightness of the day. The two served opposite purposes, like flip sides of the same coin, one couldn't exist without the other. Why then, did he dread the night so much? No one could change what was about to happen. Maybe it was for the best.

He blinked, gripping her hand stubbornly as another tear found its way onto his arm. No. He would keep her here if he had to. It couldn't end like this. Not just the two of them. He had to make her wait, hold her back somehow. A sense of despair overtook him even as he thought the words. He couldn't fight off death any more than he could freeze the sunset in the sky. But it couldn't come to an end .. not yet. It wasn't meant to be this way! If only ..

"Lucas!"

The ragged voice echoed through the quiet Infirmary like a gunshot, instantly shaking him out of his desolate thoughts. He rose and bolted from the room, then stopped short. She stood a few meters from him, casting such a strange figure in the fading light that he almost doubted his own eyes.

"Skye .."

She hadn't come bearing good news. He could tell as much from the mere sight of her, but even so, a sense of relief like the spray of a waterfall washed over him. She was here. She'd made it after all.

Skye, however, was staring at him fearfully, searching his eyes for an answer. She took a hesitant step forward, her stomach forming knots as she voiced the question.

"Is .. Is she .. ?"

"She's still holding on." He responded quickly. "Did you .. ?"

The shake of her head was only slight, but with it, a dull stab of pain shot through him. Why exactly, he wasn't sure. He had expected this. Somehow, this had been the outcome he had known was around the corner from the very beginning. Now it had arrived. He nodded back in silence, his face showing traces of sympathy. He should say something now. Anything. But his mind was blank.

Skye seemed as unsure as he felt. She was staring numbly up at him, her eyes wide against her face, which appeared too pale even in the strange light. His heart twisted inside his chest. What had she been through these past few days? She looked like such a forlorn little figure, standing alone in the middle of the room, surrounded by nothing but swaying curtains and white sheets.

They stood for several seconds like this, neither saying a word. Then suddenly, Skye moved, lurching forward and closing the gap between them almost instantly. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her head in his shirt. For a second or two, he did absolutely nothing, wondering if his heart might have stopped altogether. It was the sobs that woke him up. This close, he felt them almost as distinctly as she did herself. Small shudders at first, followed by a trembling that seemed to take over her whole body. She shook her head as he held her to him.

"I couldn't .." The muffled voice choked against his chest. "I failed .."

"Shh .." His grip tightened as he leaned his cheek on her head, gently smoothing down her wind-swept hair, as though it could somehow make things better. "I know .. but it's okay .. it's okay .."

He felt her head move again, as thought she wanted to disagree with him, but she said nothing more. He smiled slightly to himself. Like mother, like daughter. They were both as stubborn as each other.

Before long, the sobs quieted and the shaking calmed. Skye took a deep breath and pulled back. As she moved, the bristly stubble of his chin brushed against her forehead, and she reached an arm up to rub the prickly sensation away, feeling a ridiculous urge to smile in the process. Whether it was laziness or whether he simply like it that way, she didn't know, but he always seemed to have a faint shadow of the stuff on the lower half of his face. For some reason, this time, the fact was reassuring.

She swiped at her eyes with her arm and cleared her throat a little, taking another breath in an attempt to regain control of herself. Confusion swirled at the forefront of her mind. Somehow the people and places of the past few weeks were beginning to merge together into a giant surrealist painting in her head. Was she really home or was her body still somewhere in the future while her mind wandered restlessly back and forth? Was she awake or was she still dreaming? She could no longer tell.

As if he could sense her panic, Lucas placed a hand on either side of her face, bringing her mind back to the present. The gesture almost broke her again, but she closed her eyes tightly and gritted her teeth, managing eventually to overcome the second wave of hysteria. Lucas pressed his forehead against hers for a moment, as though he was trying to transfer some of his own strength across in the process.

"It'll be okay." He murmured. "It'll be over soon."

Skye nodded again, wiping her eyes as he retreated. He didn't go far. He couldn't, with her fist clenching the corner of his shirt. He said nothing, however. Her grip on the piece of material seemed to be one of the only things keeping her grounded as it was, so he let her keep it. He paused to smudge away a rogue tear on her cheek, and then turned to face the back room. When he started toward it once more, Skye was right beside him.

Elisabeth stood waiting on the other side of the bed. She didn't seem at all surprised by Skye's appearance. Instead, she smiled warmly at the nervous girl in the doorway, then turned to rest a hand on Deborah's thin shoulder.

"Talk to her." She commanded. Her voice was kind, but it was obvious she would accept no arguments on the matter. "She can hear you."

Whether this was true or not, Skye obeyed.

She crept closer, kneeling on the floor beside the bed. As distraught and exhausted as she was, she managed to summon a small smile for her mother, though it seemed to take everything in her power to do so.

"Mom .. I'm here."

Lucas knelt on her other side, picking up Deborah's hand from where he had left it a moment earlier. He watched in silence as Skye pushed the wisps of hair away from her mother's pale face and rubbed her shoulder gently.

"Mom?"

"She won't regain consciousness again, I'm afraid .." Elisabeth's soft voice came from the opposite side of the bed. "But whatever happens, keep talking to her."

Skye's gaze left Deborah for a moment to focus on the doctor.

"Are you sure she hear me?"

Elisabeth nodded slowly.

"I believe she can. Tell her you love her."

Skye turned back to her mother, watching the frail chest rise and fall slowly. It seemed to take more and more effort with every passing second. With every attempt, the repetitions grew slower. The space between them grew longer. Her gaze returned to Deborah's face.

"Mom. It's okay, I'm here." She bit her lip as tears overflowed from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks once more. "I'm here."

Was it her imagination, or did a faint smile appear on her mother's face? She glanced up at Elisabeth, who gave her a nod of encouragement.

"Keep going."

"Mom." Skye squeezed Deborah's shoulder, stroking the hair back from her forehead. "Can you hear me? I'm here."

No response. She glanced at Lucas and then back at her mother, trying not to hope, yet failing in spite of herself.

"Mom, it's me .. Skye. It's okay. It's going to be okay now, alright? Mom?"

Deborah's chest seemed to flinch a little and then, ever so slowly, it fell. The seconds passed in the same way they always had, but it didn't rise again.

Skye's own breath caught in horror as the cold realization began to creep in.

"Mom .." She looked to Elisabeth for reassurance, but the other woman seemed to have drifted far away. She stood frozen to the spot, hand over her mouth. Skye's desperate gaze, however, seemed to break her out of the trance and she turned, bringing up the holographic chart. Her eyes slid shut for a moment as she viewed the panel, then, her shoulders straightening, she opened them, flicking the chart away and returning her attention to the two nearest the bed. They watched her with pleading eyes, but it was no use. She couldn't change what had happened any more than she could change the fate of her own family. Fighting her personal grief back and locking it away tightly, she took a deep breath and shook her head. A strangled cry broke out as Skye turned back to the motionless woman in front of her.

"Mom. Mom!" She gripped her mother's shoulder and shook her a little, as Lucas watched on hopelessly. "Mom?"

"She's gone, Skye." Elisabeth murmured, hating herself for the pain she saw in the girl's eyes. "She's gone."

Slowly, Skye sat back on her heels in shock, reeling from the swiftness of what had just happened. She couldn't be gone. She'd wake up any second. This was her mother, her calm, brave mother, who always seemed to know what to do in any situation. She wouldn't have just left. It wasn't possible. And yet ..

Blankly, she reached out a shaky hand to stroke her mother's hair one last time.

"I love you." She whispered. That was what she was supposed to say, wasn't it? Suddenly she couldn't remember. She leaned forward to kiss her mother's forehead, then pulled back numbly to stare at the peaceful face. After several seconds, she looked up at Elisabeth once more. The doctor smiled at her.

"She wasn't in any pain."

Skye nodded and turned back to Deborah slowly, watching her with a strange air of confusion, as though she expected her to suddenly open her eyes and sit up.

"Mom .."

She received no reply. Beside her, Lucas shuddered a little and placed his hands over his face. The two sat like statues for the next few minutes, silence filling the room as their minds scrambled to catch up. When the first gear of reality clicked over, Skye suddenly cried out and threw herself forward, clinging to the lifeless form on the bed. Lucas had dropped his head onto his arms.

Elisabeth slipped quietly out of the room, retreating to one of the examination cubicles and sliding the curtain shut softly. She leaned on the wall and stared up at the ceiling, taking a shaky breath as she blinked back her own tears.

"Oh, Jim, where are you?"

Somehow the silence that followed made her feel even lonelier.

The Infirmary was a place where countless people had gone to be healed, it was a building that most associated with hope and safety. That evening, it echoed with heartbreak as the sound of grief-stricken sobs filled the empty hallways.

The night had finally fallen.