Unfortunately, these wonderful characters are not belong to me. But I love them very much.
I want to devote this story to my best friend Steffi for her help, encouragement and support.
BETTER THAN ANYONE
By Nadin
Roxton was reading the last Malone's story when he heard the elevator coming up.
Marguerite entered the room with tired glance and fell down to the soft armchair. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. Challenger and Veronica that followed her just looked at her with sympathy.
- Aren't you used to such big hikes? - Roxton grinned at Marguerite.
- Shut up, John. - She advised him without opening her eyes.
- Where are Summerly and Malone? - Veronica decided to ask while their "sweet" conversation didn't grow to a big quarrel.
- They are in the lab. - Roxton responded. - Summerly found some interesting insect and they are making experiments with it.
- Without me?! - Challenger exclaimed and ran to the lab.
Veronica looked him with a soft smile.
- They are like children. - She commented. - One always tries to be better than another is.
They heard a loud Challenger's voice shouting at Summerly and Ned because they did something wrong.
- I think we'll go mad before this situation will go on. - Roxton smiled ironically. - How was your hike?
- As always. - Veronica set next to him. - We tried to find way out in the western part of the plateau, but raptors decided to change our plans a little bit. We ran a long-distance marathon.
- Oh, that might be the reason why Miss Krux seemed to be a little tired. - He looked at Marguerite who was sitting motionlessly in the armchair.
- Stop talking about me as I'm not here! - She said in a cold voice without opening her eyes. - And, Roxton, stop laughing at me!
- I'm sorry. - Roxton apologized with a smile on his face. - How could you know that I'm laughing at you if you sit with closed eyes?
- I feel it! - She opened her eyes and came to Veronica. - I'm going to freshen up a little. Veronica, will you go to the pond with me?
Veronica looked at her with astonishment and was about to agree, but remembered what had happened several hours ago.
- I don't want to offend you, Marguerite, but I spent the whole day with you and it was enough for me for the next month. - She replied. - I'm going to take a rest in my room.
She went away. Marguerite made faces to her back and then breathed deeply. Her dream to feel better crushed.
- Well, I didn't spend the whole day with you and I think I could bear you for a little bit. - Roxton volunteered. - I would like to go the pond with you.
- Only in your dreams! - She snapped out.
There was only one problem - she found his suggestion very attractive. But Marguerite made an effort to forget all these stupid thoughts. Roxton was a man, just like others.
Roxton came closer to her and leaned to her face.
- Miss Krux, we are adult people. - He said with a grin. - What are you afraid of?
His words made a very extraordinary effect.
- Afraid?! - She exclaimed. - I don't afraid of anything! And... and we going in 5 minutes!
With shining eyes she ran to her bedroom to take soap, towels and clean cloths.
All the way to the pond Marguerite kept silence and said not a word to Roxton who followed her and tried to begin a conversation several times. And all those times Marguerite said something rude or even didn't answer at all.
- Would you mind to turn away, please? - She asked when they reached the pond.
Roxton turned away looking to the jungle where raptors might be. He heard how Marguerite's skirt and then blouse felt down to the soft grass. Then her corset followed them and then other types of woman's cloths.
A second later Roxton heard a low curse and interested.
- Is everything okay?
- Yes, of course. - She replied. - I just didn't expect water to be so cold.
She dove into the deep and noticed something bright and light on the bottom among the grass. Marguerite wanted to look what that could be but suddenly she felt the water boiled. No, it wasn't hot, but lots of bubble rose from the bottom of the pond. And she felt how water began to move. Suddenly she found herself in the middle of whirlpool that drags her into the deep. With the last effort she came to the surface of the water and saw Roxton standing on the shore and even didn't looking to her side.
- John! - She screamed for the last time and disappeared in the water.
Roxton, who was still standing back to the pond turned immediately and saw Marguerite waved him her hand. He ran into the water but she already disappeared. Only then he noticed that there was a whirlpool in the center of the pond. And Marguerite had to be somewhere there!
He dove again and again, but didn't see her. The pond wasn't very big and deep and for such a long period of time he had to see her! But Marguerite disappeared without any track!
In fifteen minutes of useless searching Roxton understood that there had to be more mystical reason for Marguerite's disappearance. He ran to the treehouse to call for the help.
The moment during which the elevator lifted him to the treehouse seemed to him the longest moment in his life. When he finally entered the kitchen where everybody was sitting he couldn't find any words to describe what had happened.
- Roxton? - Veronica looked at him with little smile. - What happened?
- Marguerite, - the only word that he could pronounced. - She... she...
- We know, - Challenger tried to refrain the laugh. - She pushed you to the pond again?
Only then Roxton understood what did the older man mean: he was in wet cloths and even from his hat water drops fell to the floor.
- No! - He exclaimed angrily. - Marguerite disappeared!
In a moment everybody became serious. They looked at Roxton with bewilderment.
- What are you talking about? - Veronica came to the consciousness. - How could Marguerite disappeared?
- Yes, how? - Malone joined her.
Others were just standing and waiting for his answer.
- She was swimming. - Roxton tried to be calm. - As usually, she asked me to turn away. And I did it. In several moments I heard her screaming and when I turned to her she was disappearing under the water. I tried to find her but couldn't.
- The pond is not so big. - Summerly said with a doubt.
- I know! - Roxton hit the nearest wall. - Devil! I tried to find her but she wasn't there!
- And where do you think she could be? - Challenger was puzzled. He heard about something like that in the tribe. He was said that a water ghost stole people when he woke up. It happened one time in a hundred years when water ghost woke up and stole people.
- I don't know! - Roxton repeated once more. - That's why I came here. I need your help.
Veronica knew that Roxton was connected with Marguerite not only by a friendship, but also by more deep feelings. And she could understand that he worried very much about her. She was everything for him. Veronica couldn't imagine what would happen with her if something wrong had happened with Ned.
- Let's go. - She said and went to the elevator. Others took their weapons and followed her.
? * * *
I want to devote this story to my best friend Steffi for her help, encouragement and support.
BETTER THAN ANYONE
By Nadin
Roxton was reading the last Malone's story when he heard the elevator coming up.
Marguerite entered the room with tired glance and fell down to the soft armchair. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. Challenger and Veronica that followed her just looked at her with sympathy.
- Aren't you used to such big hikes? - Roxton grinned at Marguerite.
- Shut up, John. - She advised him without opening her eyes.
- Where are Summerly and Malone? - Veronica decided to ask while their "sweet" conversation didn't grow to a big quarrel.
- They are in the lab. - Roxton responded. - Summerly found some interesting insect and they are making experiments with it.
- Without me?! - Challenger exclaimed and ran to the lab.
Veronica looked him with a soft smile.
- They are like children. - She commented. - One always tries to be better than another is.
They heard a loud Challenger's voice shouting at Summerly and Ned because they did something wrong.
- I think we'll go mad before this situation will go on. - Roxton smiled ironically. - How was your hike?
- As always. - Veronica set next to him. - We tried to find way out in the western part of the plateau, but raptors decided to change our plans a little bit. We ran a long-distance marathon.
- Oh, that might be the reason why Miss Krux seemed to be a little tired. - He looked at Marguerite who was sitting motionlessly in the armchair.
- Stop talking about me as I'm not here! - She said in a cold voice without opening her eyes. - And, Roxton, stop laughing at me!
- I'm sorry. - Roxton apologized with a smile on his face. - How could you know that I'm laughing at you if you sit with closed eyes?
- I feel it! - She opened her eyes and came to Veronica. - I'm going to freshen up a little. Veronica, will you go to the pond with me?
Veronica looked at her with astonishment and was about to agree, but remembered what had happened several hours ago.
- I don't want to offend you, Marguerite, but I spent the whole day with you and it was enough for me for the next month. - She replied. - I'm going to take a rest in my room.
She went away. Marguerite made faces to her back and then breathed deeply. Her dream to feel better crushed.
- Well, I didn't spend the whole day with you and I think I could bear you for a little bit. - Roxton volunteered. - I would like to go the pond with you.
- Only in your dreams! - She snapped out.
There was only one problem - she found his suggestion very attractive. But Marguerite made an effort to forget all these stupid thoughts. Roxton was a man, just like others.
Roxton came closer to her and leaned to her face.
- Miss Krux, we are adult people. - He said with a grin. - What are you afraid of?
His words made a very extraordinary effect.
- Afraid?! - She exclaimed. - I don't afraid of anything! And... and we going in 5 minutes!
With shining eyes she ran to her bedroom to take soap, towels and clean cloths.
All the way to the pond Marguerite kept silence and said not a word to Roxton who followed her and tried to begin a conversation several times. And all those times Marguerite said something rude or even didn't answer at all.
- Would you mind to turn away, please? - She asked when they reached the pond.
Roxton turned away looking to the jungle where raptors might be. He heard how Marguerite's skirt and then blouse felt down to the soft grass. Then her corset followed them and then other types of woman's cloths.
A second later Roxton heard a low curse and interested.
- Is everything okay?
- Yes, of course. - She replied. - I just didn't expect water to be so cold.
She dove into the deep and noticed something bright and light on the bottom among the grass. Marguerite wanted to look what that could be but suddenly she felt the water boiled. No, it wasn't hot, but lots of bubble rose from the bottom of the pond. And she felt how water began to move. Suddenly she found herself in the middle of whirlpool that drags her into the deep. With the last effort she came to the surface of the water and saw Roxton standing on the shore and even didn't looking to her side.
- John! - She screamed for the last time and disappeared in the water.
Roxton, who was still standing back to the pond turned immediately and saw Marguerite waved him her hand. He ran into the water but she already disappeared. Only then he noticed that there was a whirlpool in the center of the pond. And Marguerite had to be somewhere there!
He dove again and again, but didn't see her. The pond wasn't very big and deep and for such a long period of time he had to see her! But Marguerite disappeared without any track!
In fifteen minutes of useless searching Roxton understood that there had to be more mystical reason for Marguerite's disappearance. He ran to the treehouse to call for the help.
The moment during which the elevator lifted him to the treehouse seemed to him the longest moment in his life. When he finally entered the kitchen where everybody was sitting he couldn't find any words to describe what had happened.
- Roxton? - Veronica looked at him with little smile. - What happened?
- Marguerite, - the only word that he could pronounced. - She... she...
- We know, - Challenger tried to refrain the laugh. - She pushed you to the pond again?
Only then Roxton understood what did the older man mean: he was in wet cloths and even from his hat water drops fell to the floor.
- No! - He exclaimed angrily. - Marguerite disappeared!
In a moment everybody became serious. They looked at Roxton with bewilderment.
- What are you talking about? - Veronica came to the consciousness. - How could Marguerite disappeared?
- Yes, how? - Malone joined her.
Others were just standing and waiting for his answer.
- She was swimming. - Roxton tried to be calm. - As usually, she asked me to turn away. And I did it. In several moments I heard her screaming and when I turned to her she was disappearing under the water. I tried to find her but couldn't.
- The pond is not so big. - Summerly said with a doubt.
- I know! - Roxton hit the nearest wall. - Devil! I tried to find her but she wasn't there!
- And where do you think she could be? - Challenger was puzzled. He heard about something like that in the tribe. He was said that a water ghost stole people when he woke up. It happened one time in a hundred years when water ghost woke up and stole people.
- I don't know! - Roxton repeated once more. - That's why I came here. I need your help.
Veronica knew that Roxton was connected with Marguerite not only by a friendship, but also by more deep feelings. And she could understand that he worried very much about her. She was everything for him. Veronica couldn't imagine what would happen with her if something wrong had happened with Ned.
- Let's go. - She said and went to the elevator. Others took their weapons and followed her.
? * * *