Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.
"…at the far end…"
3.11 Temporally Displaced (ABCDU)
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Connor stood on the second floor landing. The Professor Cutter of this time ran her hand lightly across a poster, smoothing it out. Bright yellow lettering, outlined in orange and white, was superimposed in circles of text over a forest scene. The lettering read TIME TRAVEL TODAY.
"I know what you did to Stephen," said Connor.
At the sound of the voice behind her, the slim woman turned to face him. Connor clamped his back teeth down tightly. His jaw jutted out a bit.
"What are you talking about?" asked Helen Cutter. She pasted what she thought was a seductive smile on her face.
"I read the reports," spat Connor.
Connor's body was trembling with barely controlled anger. His voice shook as he spoke.
"Anaphylactic shock," continued Connor. He swallowed. "You know… he suffered."
Helen pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as she regarded the man standing before her. He gazed at her with dark glistening eyes. Helen picked up the small square glass and metal device from the desk.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Helen denied as she stepped towards the man.
Connor's eyes flew open wide in disbelief. Helen stepped forward again.
"How could you?" Connor asked "How could you do that to any human being… especially to someone who loved you?"
Helen licked her lips, then nipped her bottom lip between her teeth. She tilted her head to the right and looked at the man before her. She smiled again as she stepped directly in front of Connor.
"You'll never be able to prove anything," she whispered.
"I know that," replied Connor, "but what I don't know… is what did you do to Cutter?"
Helen placed one manicured hand on the center of Connor's chest.
"You mean Nick?"
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Abby ran past differential equations, ecohydrology, fisheries resources, general microbiology and histology. Behind her Tom and Duncan were trying to catch up. Beyond them Claudia Brown could be seen, followed in the distance by Danny and Becker.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Helen pushed Connor.
He tottered on the top step for a moment, wildly flailing his arms. He tried to grab something, anything to balance himself. His hands connected with the device Helen was carrying, knocking it from her grasp. Then gravity kicked in. Connor fell.
"Connor!" cried Abby "No!"
Abby watched in horror as Connor went head over heels, bouncing, rolling, down. He landed at the bottom of the stairs near zoology, and rolled to a stop by wildlife ecology. The device bounced past him and skidded further across the floor coming to a rest in front of stochastic processes.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Helen's empty hands grasped at the air in front of her furiously. She looked down the sweeping flight of stairs to see the perfect symmetry of her handiwork. Connor was sprawled spread eagle like Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. Helen could see the device on the floor beyond him. And, she could see other people coming. Helen hurried down the stairs to retrieve the glass and metal invention.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Abby rushed to Connor's side, sliding to her knees beside him. Tom and Duncan caught up with her. Connor's eyes were closed, a little trickle of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth. They watched as Abby pressed her head against his chest.
"He looks a little like Connor," said Tom "don't you think?"
"A little bit maybe," replied Duncan "but I think this bloke is a bit older."
Abby sat up straight beside Connor.
"Connor," pleaded Abby "please... wake up!"
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Helen stepped off the last stair and started towards the device. Her goal was within sight. The three people surrounding the fallen body by the bookcases were no threat. The streak of brown and black that zoomed past them… that was a different story.
Stella pounced.
Snarling, the German shepherd brought the predatory female to the floor. Helen turned her face to the left, shirking away from the mouthful of teeth. As Stella maintained her stance, holding Helen, the hate filled woman watched her dreams of time travel disappear.
First a woman's brown leather loafer stepped on the device. Then a man's large red and white trainer stomped on the glass and metal creation. The final insult to Philip's shoddy invention was the thick soled black boot. The device cracked and shattered, throwing little sparks that swirled briefly up in the air, and then fizzled out like spent fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night.
"Ooh," moaned Helen.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Connor's long eyelashes fluttered. He opened his eyes to see Abby looking at him worriedly.
"Connor," asked Abby "are you alright?"
He reached his hand up and gingerly pressed his fingertips against his jaw. Connor wiggled his jaw back and forth as if checking to see if it was still attached to his face. He wiped the corner of his mouth, licking his bruised and swollen lips.
"I think I bit my tongue," Connor replied.
Then he looked past Abby to see Duncan and Tom standing behind her.
"Tom!" exclaimed Connor. "Am I dead then?"
"No mate, you're not dead," replied Tom "but how do you know my name?"
"You look like a Tom," replied Connor shakily.
Duncan and Tom exchanged a glance. They weren't fooled. Something was going on with these people.
"You look like our mate from Bradford," said Tom. "Are you related to Connor Temple? What's your name?"
Connor looked around in confusion, not knowing how to answer the question.
"My name's Connor," he said finally, "but no way... in this world... my last name can't be Temple."
"Well what is your last name then?" asked Duncan.
"Maitland," said Abby firmly.
She'd suggested the name yesterday for Connor's new identity, but Connor hadn't replied. She really didn't know whether or not he would use it, but she had to tell Duncan and Tom something.
Connor looked at Abby. When she'd suggested the name yesterday, he'd been hard pressed to not blurt out the questions he had. What was Connor Maitland supposed to be to Abby?
"He's Connor Maitland."
Duncan started to ask if they were brother and sister, but as Abby leaned in to kiss Connor, Duncan figured out the answer to his question. And so did Connor... finally.
"Ow," said Connor, but he really didn't mind. He was kissing Abby back just as thoroughly as she was kissing him.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
The police strong-armed Helen out of the Science Center in handcuffs. Claudia, Danny and Becker stood together near the roses, watching. Across the green lawn, Connor was being examined by an emergency medical technician. Abby, Tom and Duncan were close at hand.
"It's a good thing your friend called the coppers and emergency service," said Danny appreciatively.
"Jess thinks of everything," replied Claudia. "It's just too bad that the ambulance wasn't in time for Burton."
Becker noted the name of Claudia's friend and co-worker. It was the same name as the bright and bubbly young woman he'd met at the park yesterday, but it was probably too much to hope that it was the same woman. The thought of Jess brought a smile to his face.
"Nothing was going to help Burton," said Becker as he knelt next to Stella, "not after Helen."
"Hopefully the courts will be able to put that woman away," sighed Danny. "She's murdered Stephen and Burton, tried to kill Connor and there's no telling what she's done to Cutter."
"I would really like to meet Professor Nick Cutter in person some day," said Claudia.
Danny's eyebrows went up at her remark. A broad grin spread across his face.
"Oh, you'd love him," Danny replied.
Claudia felt a little flustered by Danny's knowing gaze. She turned to Becker.
"Stella was wonderful today," praised Claudia "She deserves a steak."
Becker had Stella back on the leash. The security dog had performed admirably. Becker chuckled as he continued to stroke the German shepherd.
"Stella's wonderful everyday," the soldier replied.
Danny nodded in the direction of the group around the ambulance.
"The med tech looks like she's almost done with Connor," Danny said. "We should go check on them."
-x-x-x-x-x-x
"So, can we take him home?" asked Danny.
"Physically, he seems fine," said the medical technician. "No signs of a concussion… bumps and bruises mainly."
"Then what's taking so long?" asked Claudia "Why haven't you released Connor?"
"He seems disoriented," replied the woman. When Claudia looked puzzled, she added "He told the tall red-head to stay away from dodos."
"I wouldn't be worried about that," said Becker "it's probably just too much telly."
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Tom and Duncan returned to their flat with promises to keep in touch. Claudia took Abby, Connor, Becker and Stella home with her.
"It's just for the weekend," she said "Jess said there was a vacant flat in her neighborhood… it's near the park, so that would be good for Stella."
Danny was invited too, but he said he'd be back later. He joked that someone had to earn a living. Claudia pulled the car up to the kerb and let Danny out.
"We're all going to need jobs," said Becker "to afford a flat… and food…"
"The fake identities are started," said Connor. "At least you get to keep your own name."
"Are you complaining about changing your name?" asked Abby with a smirk.
"No," replied Connor "I like my new name just fine."
-x-x-x-x-x-x
When the doorbell rang later that evening, Claudia thought it was the delivery boy from the takeaway shop. The feisty bureaucrat in the striped gray suit standing at the door was not what Claudia was expecting.
"Claudia Brown?" asked the man in supercilious manner.
"Yes," replied Claudia "and who are you?"
"James Lester."
-x-x-x-x-x-x