Chapter 4

'Hello guys!' said Joh enthusiastically as she entered the 'Coffee Room', a room where the ARC staff went to chill out during assignments, breaks or when there was nothing else to do.

'Hey, rookie, come sit with us.' cried a familiar voice. It was Rick's.

Joh went to the table the team was seated at. Last night she had only met Rick and Psyke, but now the whole bunch was there. Aside from the pair, the team consisted of four more people: an asian girl, a Cruella De Ville- looking woman, a middle aged man, whom Joh assumed was Professor Wilkins, and a geekish guy in his early 20's who had to be that Harper genius.

'Hello!' said the Japanese girl in an exhilarated manner, looking genuinely enchanted to meet her and James. 'I'm Yuna.' she continued as she came to give them a warm handshake, 'You must be Joh and James. Take a seat.' she said, her smile widening as she dragged the two to the vacant chairs, placed near her own.

'Ow!' she exclaimed slapping her forehead, 'we know who you are, but you don't know us! This is Professor Wilkins' she indicated placing a hand on the man's shoulder, 'and he is Daniel Harper, his student' she added, pointing at the fairly nerdy looking guy sitting next to Professor Wilkins, 'and she is Skyler Renda.' Yuna went on, going to the Cruella De Ville woman's side. She was a tall and slim woman, with a solemn atmosphere of doom and silence about her, somewhere in her mid- 30's, who seemed to better fit in a model agency, rather than a government facility with her short, spiky, dark- grey hair, dark- crimson lips, black eyelids and marble white skin. Judging from her clothes, which seemed to have come straight of a Parisian cat- walk, she most defiantly was a fashion victim.

'She is the team leader, so if you have any problems she is the person you want to talk to. And they are Rick and Psy, which you already know.' she concluded.

'Hi guys, nice meeting you.'

'Isn't Chrissie going to join us?' required Skyler.

'She's gone to discuss something with Craft. Apparently, she doesn't want to have to go in the field and face the creatures.' James told her.

'Speaking of, how did your meeting with Craft go?' twitted Yuna merrily.

'Your job is to help me manage the paperwork, make phone calls, follow what the media says, attend all the boring board meetings I'm supposed to go to, keep an eye on my schedule, remind me when my kids' birthdays are, basically, you are going to be my obedient minion. Am I clear?'

'Yes, sir.'

'And do you know what that means?'

'That I'm going to be your trusty shadow?'

'It means, Mr. Knighton, that if you don't have anything intelligent to say, then shut up. I can't afford having my personal assistant look like a bloody buffoon. Got it?'

'Yes, sir.'

'It went well…' nodded James.

'Did you ask where your office is?' laughed Rick.

'And be sure to have your pager on you at all times, I don't have the slightest intention of wandering off in search of you every time I need to give you an order. Well, don't just stand there, looking at me with that eyes, like a dog craving for attention, go make yourself useful!' Craft said in a superior voice.

'Excuse me, sir, but where is my office?'

'I never thought anyone could be more annoying than my last assistant until I met you… Come on! Or do you expect a piggy- bag ride?' exclaimed Craft at a half- paralyzed James.

'Here we are!' said James' boss triumphantly, when they got off the elevator, 'this is where you will be working.' he said directing him to his desk.

'B… b… but this isn't a private office… This is a public staff office.'

'Why, Mr. Knighton, your observation skills are overwhelming! Just because you are my assistant doesn't mean you have any rights.'

'Of course e did.' chuckled Psyke, standing up and taking a few steps back from the table, 'they all do. "Could you direct me to my office, sir?" se said in a squeaky voice, then imitating Craft's icy one "I never thought I'd ever meet a more annoying person than my former assistant until I met you"…' she was interrupted by James's pager, which started beeping.

'Guys, Craft wants me to inform you that there's been an anomaly report. Take care.'

'I hope it's going to be something nice… a baby something.' said Yuna hopefully as they headed towards the Control Room, which was for the ARC the equivalent of a mother ship to a fleet. Entering it, they had the surprise of seeing Craft there, yelling at the technician.

'How are we going to explain mammoths to the general population? Bloody mammoths, for crying out loud!'

'Hairy elephants on steroids?' suggested Yuna innocently.

'Yes… I see the matter- sucking black whole in your head is expanding.' he said shooting every word at her.

'Calm down, Shelby.' Skyler told him, 'you do realize that Manby isn't responsible for the existence of mammoths, no? Tell us what happened'

'An anomaly opened in the middle of the mall and a shopping- crazed mammoth had the courtesy of comming through!'

'So what? We'll just drive him back through. You exaggerate so.' She said in a soothing voice, trying to calm him.

'You can't!'

'What do you mean we can't?'

'This.' He said switching on a TV.

"Panic overtakes Cardiff as a giant furry elephant…"

"Sources confirm it was first seen at the mall, where it wreaked havoc, taking down everything in its path, then made its way through the city, terrorizing…"

"It currently is in the Central Square…"

"What could this mysterious creature be and where could it have come from? Zoologists are at loss for words as they…"

'Cut them off! I want them cut off!' he blew turning the TV off.

'This would mean killing pretty much every channel in the country…' Skyler tried to argue.

'I don't bloody care!'

'Shelby, get over yourself. Cutting off one telly channel, or even two is one thing, shutting al of them on the other hand… that'd only confirm how big this is. We'd better go and take care of the problem and then Chrissie could have an exclusive on what happened, some credible cover up, which would also make the evening news. Problem solved. So take it down a knot and go do… whatever it is you do when a crisis occurs.'

123456789

'So how do you always manage to boss him around and get away with it?' asked Psyke as the parked the Jeep just outside the safe perimeter established around the city centre.

'I don't know… I just do.' shrugged Skyler. She was the only one who allowed herself such familiarities with Craft, like scolding him, or calling him by his first name and such, and the only one permitted such liberties. 'I have apparently succeeded in taming the beast. Now let's see how are we going to deal with the mammoth. Joh, when you're ready with the tranquilizers go give them to Rick and then go stay in the car.'

'What?'

'You've had no field training. There's no way I'm putting you in the field before that. No but's or anything. I am your team leader and I expect you to obey an order when I give it.'

'She's only doing it for your own good, you know. Get in the car.' Rick told her gently, 'You'll have your chance to shine pretty soon.'

How annoying this whole situation was. She was supposed to stay in the car like she was some kid who couldn't look after herself. Skyler even made her repeat what she was supposed to do: get in the car, but don't lock the doors, if a creature comes towards it she should be able to make a run for it. It was like her mum telling her it was ok to play hide and go seek in the house, but she shouldn't lock herself in the wardrobe. Well, tough luck, she had other ideas.

Just as she was about to get out of the car and head to where the action was, she noticed a shabby- looking man staring at her. His clothes were worn out to the point where it wasn't clear anymore whether they were made out of patches or of one piece of material and his hair was greasy and messy, desperately asking for a hair cut. The stranger was so thin, his eyes seem to be popping out of his sockets, adding an extra touch of madness to his look. So intense was he staring at her, Joh felt his gaze at a physical level. With a feeling of extreme uneasiness, she dug in the car seat and locked the doors. Then, heart beating like a drum, ready to rip her chest, she looked outside, trying to see that man again. He rose some kind of morbid fascination in her. She had and wanted to know more. But he was not there. Maybe she had imagined it? It was impossible, the glimpse lasted for a moment, no longer, but the feelings it had stirred up in her were still there and they were so intense it was impossible for them to be just a product of her imagination.

123456789

'Is it ok if I place these here, Professor Wilkins?' asked Yuna putting the equipment they used to study anomalies down on the ground.

'Yes, dear, it's fine.' he said putting down his share to carry, 'Danny, come help me set the Anomaly Wave Detector up!'

Putting the equipment down, Yuna looked around her. They were in the middle of the mall's second floor, where the corridors that run along the shops met in a circle- resembling open space, where cunning entrepreneurs had set up terraces. Colorful tables and chairs were usually found there, in perfect order, arranged in a cheerful manner. Now they were in complete chaos, having been thrown all over by the enraged mammoth trying to make his way out of this strange, new world. Many had been crushed in his desperate pursuit of freedom. The mall currently offered a pitiful sight. Bits of tables and chairs lay scattered on the floor along with chunks of wall and bits of shattered glass. In Yuna's mind an apocalyptic story unfolded. And for a moment time stood still.

123456789

The raging mammoth was devastating the city with a dangerously high accuracy Skyler thought as the approached it. It was a magnificent animal, huge and imposing, having a way of making one feel small and insignificant next to him. It could crush any human in an instant. Through out her life, she had learnt that people are frail beings, with only a thin line standing between life and death, whatever that was. Everything they faced was lethal, possessing the capability of whipping them out of existence within seconds: vicious Raptors, giant T- Rexes, sly saber teeth, that watched their pray from afar and then moved in for the kill, the 14 meters high Taborasaurus, Alioramus, a cousin of T- Rex's… every time they went out to face a creature there was a good chance they wouldn't come back. She thought of Joh, the anger and frustration in her eyes as she was being sent in the car… but she didn't know what it meant to send friends in the field to never see them alive again, listening to them drawing their dying breaths, unable to do anything to help them… but Skyler knew and she didn't have the slightest intention to put herself through that again… Someone was screaming in the distance… a man and a woman. No, a mammoth was going ballistic on the city. It's a trap! IT'S A TRAP! GET OUT OF HERE! …

'Sky, are you OK?' Rick asked worried.

'Yeah.' she said frowning in an attempt to stay focused, but the man and the woman were still screaming…

'Cool. So how are we going to take this little fellow down?'

'Well, that's going to be the easy part, provided we have enough tranquilizer. Getting him out of here… Now that's going to be a challenge.'

'There's enough tranquilizer to put down a… lot of horses.' smiled Rick, 'and once it's down all we need is a large container, some truck for really heavy things to stuff him in, to get him back to the anomaly site and get him home.'

'Yeah… but you forget one thing' Psyke broke in, 'he's real heavy, a- couple- of- tons- heavy. How are we going to move him?'

'Hmm… Psy, Rick, wait here! I have an idea. Don't let the mammoth leave this place, but keep him awake; tranq him only if there's no other option. Got it?'

'But… where are you going? And bloody how am I supposed to entertain a mammoth?'

'I don't know, Rick, figure something out!'

Rick turned to Psyke and gave her a crooked smile.

'No, Rick, I'm not going to play bate in whatever sinister plan's cooking in there.' said Psyke poking his forehead and smiling back.

123456789

'What did I tell you about locking the doors?'

'Oh… Hi, Skyker.' Said Joh mechanically, jumping out of her skin, 'There… Yeah, sorry…' She decided not to tell anybody about the stranger, they didn't want her on the field as it was, seeing things wouldn't make them any more eager to trust her.

'OK… Come with me.' said Skyler getting in the driver's seat, fastening her seatbelt and starting the engine up, 'we need to get ourselves a huge truck to transport the mammoth in.'

'And how do you plan to do that?'

'I… don't know, I didn't get to that part yet… I suppose Rick and Psy will drive it in.'

'You do realize they're nothing more than a pair of ants to him, no? At most, he might decide to step on them, but otherwise, it won't be bothered. We need something to lure him into the truck.'

'How? He travels in groups… What? Don't look at me like that, I read sometimes. Anyway, he'd be attracted by the presence of a mammoth herd, wouldn't he?'

'Not if it's not his.'

'So what do you suggest?'

'Sounds. We need to get our hands on a recording with him and isolate his cries. Given the time we have, the quality won't be so good, but let's hope it would be familiar enough to make him take a look.'

'Yeah, good idea.' said Skyler driving through city.

'Look, Skyler, that seems to be a fitting container.' said Joh pointing at a large circus truck they passed by, 'How are we going to get it, though?'

'Let me make a phone call. Go talk to them.'

'Excuse me… Ahem, excuse me' she tried to get their attention, 'We need your truck.' The men looked at each other, gave her a sly look then bursted into laughter.

'We really…'

'Hello, fellows! I'm afraid your truck is government property. We're going to take it now.' Skyler said with a satisfied smile emerging on her lips as she pointed to her gun.

'How come I didn't think of that?' Joh muttered to herself, as she followed the truck Skyler was driving, with the Jeep.

123456789

'Isn't he cute?'

'Seriously, Rick? Are you the new Yuna? Did she indoctrinate you already? Do you want to keep him too?'

'You gelous?'

'Bah!' she uttered, raising an eyebrow, trying to look disgusted. 'No. No way.'

'So, then why don't you like her? I mean we're not even dating anymore. You can stop picking on her now.'

'Excuse me? I couldn't care less whether or not you were dating. She's just infuriating with all her kindergarten- attitude and weird ideas…'

'So you don't like her because she's different than most people?'

'Bite me. That's not what I said.'

'So, tell me, Rick, if you're not dating anymore, why do you care?'

'That's none of your business.'

'You know what? Shut up. You're so cute, until you open your mouth, then you turn into a total jackass.'

That was not what she wanted to say… Yes, she was gelous! Yes, all she thought about when he was around was him!

'Fine!' he said, turning his back at her.

'Fine!' she repeated, turning her back to his.

'Erm… Psy?'

'What?'

'Is the mammoth within your field of vision?'

'What? You don't see him?' she screamed, turning to face his back again.

He turned around, to look at her. Damn, she was cute when she was angry.

'Are. You. Telling. Me. We. LOST A MAMMOTH?'

And scary.

'HOW THE HELL DOES ONE LOOSE A MAMMOTH? A FREAKIN HUGE MAMMOTH? Skyler is going to kill us…' she broke down in a whisper.

'C'mon, it's gonna be Ok.' He said patting her shoulder, 'Don't worry, be happy… I mean how hard can it be to spot an oversized elephant?' he quickly added, seeing the aggressive look she gave him.

'Ok…' she said breathing in, 'Which way?'

'The noise seems to be coming from that direction.' He said grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the sounds. Silly girls, no spatial awareness.

'Look, there he is! HEY! YOU, BIG FUR- BALL!' yelled Psyke at the mammoth, but it took no notisce of her.

"NO, no, no!' exclaimed Rick in an attempt to stop Psyke, who lifted a chunk of pavement and threw it at the mammoth, hitting his lower left leg.

The mammoth gave out a trumpeting sound, turned around and charged in their direction. It was now Psyke's turn to grab a flabbergasted Rick by the hand and drag him.

'What did you so that for?' asked Rick angrily.

'To get his attention.'

'Well, you got it. Now how are you going to make him focus on something else?'

'It's a plan in progress.'

The mammoth was raging mad with pain as he had hurt his leg in the shattered glass and Psyke had unknowingly hit his wound, pressing bits of glass deeper into his flesh. But even so, Psyke and Rick weren't fast enough to outrun him. Just as he was about to plunge his tasks into the little beings, something caught his attention. A sound. A familiar cry… could it be his herd? He decided to go and check. The sounds were coming from inside a strange big box and it seemed to be a cry for help. For a moment he thought of attacking the box, but not wanting to risk hurting his kin, he entered it, but there was nothing in there. Before he could react, he felt something sting his hip and darkness followed.

'Ok! Shut it in!' cried Skyler.

'Pfeuh, not a moment too late…' said Psyke

123456789

'Skyler, care to explain why you brought a mammoth back with you?' asked Craft in his regular icy voice.

'Because the anomaly closed before we could send him through.'

'And what exactly do you expect me to do with it?'

'I don't know, you're the boss, it your job to deal with the administrative problems.' she said smiling and leaving him behind.

Please review. :)