"You want the truth? Fine! I built the solution to the anomaly problem by trapping an anomaly in my device to power it. The slits on the sides project its light to create the map of anomalies. Whilst I was working I accidentally knocked Phillip's jacket. I picked it up along with a picture that fell out. It showed a younger version of Helen. They were happily hugging in front of a university. I didn't make anything of it at the time. I finished making the solution and conked out. When I woke up only half of it was left. Someone had broken it in two. Then I saw Helen in the room next door after you guys came to the rescue, the anomaly remote she held was the other half of my invention."
Abby stared at him, she was speechless. Connor couldn't bear those betrayed eyes boring into him. It made his guilt and his headache much worse.
Jess concentrated on driving. She felt a bit sorry for Connor if anything. He was taking Abby's full blame when it had hardly been his fault. As far as she was concerned Phillip and Helen were the real problem.
"I don't believe this!" Matt muttered.
Connor's rant had been loud enough for the girl's comms to pick it up. So Phillip and Helen had gone to university together, it made sense but it also meant that knew each other far better than Matt had feared.
"We're here." Jess called.
Connor stepped out into the ARC car park. They had to take his car to Prospero so they wouldn't raise any suspicion. Jess dashed into the ARC leaving Connor and Abby alone together. He put on his comm.
"I'm sorry guys. I'll do everything I can to make this right."
"Connor you said your solution was broken in half, do you still have the other part?" asked Matt.
"Yes."
"Destroy it."
"What!"
"If Helen can use one half to wreak havoc who knows what the other part is capable off!" he explained.
Connor reluctantly took out the metal tube from his pocket. He lifted it high above his head, ready to smash it to the ground.
"Connor stop!" yelled Abby, not knowing how she could've been so blind. "That's the artefact!"
Becker's eyes widened. He remembered that troublesome object only too well. Connor froze. Abby took the invention from his hands as he slowly lowered them.
"I was searching so long for Cutter's answer and it was right in front of me all this time." he breathed in bewilderment.
Matt remained unperturbed.
"You're about to go into Prospero, the artefact in the wrong hands could potentially – "
"He knows what he's doing." Abby interrupted.
"I do!" spluttered Connor.
Jess rushed back outside shortly after this revelation, unaware of what the others had discovered.
"Hey Connor thought you might want an aspirin before you go."
He was too shell-shocked by the artefact to respond. Abby glanced at him and promptly took over.
"I'll make sure he takes one. Thanks Jess." she replied, taking the box. She gave Connor a shove which seemed to bring him down to Earth.
"Thanks Jess." he murmured before getting into the car.
"Good luck you two!"
Matt and Becker said it too, through the comms but Abby was still worried as she climbed into the boot for the second time that day.
It didn't take them long to get to Prospero. The guards recognised Connor even before he showed them an ID and waved him in. They parked and Abby was able to escape from the claustrophobic darkness again. Connor opened his mouth, Abby popped in the aspirin and waited for him to swallow.
"Thanks." he muttered sheepishly.
Abby smiled. She couldn't stay angry at him when he had that cute dimple at his disposal. Besides, they were about to right any wrongs he'd committed.
"Do we have a plan?" she asked.
"I meet Philip; you keep an eye on me."
Connor's words echoed through Abby's head as she watched him greet Philip. She had the perfect view from the ventilation shafts.
"Connor! It's time you witnessed the true achievements of your work. Come with me." Philip announced.
He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.
"Are we going to see my anomaly?" asked Connor.
"No, we're going to see something the company made."
Phillip smiled and started to lead the way down a bone white corridor.
Abby scrambled to keep up. It was difficult crawling around in such a confined metal space without making any noise. She would've lost track of them round the corner if Connor hadn't stopped moving.
"Connor?" Phillip called.
Connor closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Sorry I'm just tired. You had me up working all night remember?"
"It'll be worth it when you see this."
Connor started walking again winking in Abby's direction as soon as his boss was facing away. She smiled. He was getting better at improvising.
He continued down the hall at a slow walk in the hope that acting tired would help his girlfriend keep up. Finally he turned the corner. Connor stood and stared, his mouth agape with a thousand questions just waiting to be asked. Abby, perched in the ventilation shaft, was equally shocked. Together they gazed at the swirling darkness before them. A person-sized anomaly glittered in front of them but it was not ordinary, it glowed a deep black. Phillip had finally managed to contaminate the natural beauty of an anomaly. It was fringed by shards of black crystal that seemed to be the main product of the anomaly's exploitation. Connor could sense the powerful magnetic field tugging at his car keys. He clutched them tightly, battling against the unusually strong force. Abby too could feel the anomaly's field stretching out to suck at her mobile phone loosely secured in a trouser pocket.
"This is the anomaly that's going to change the world." said Phillip proudly.
Connor didn't like the sound of that. Inside his head he compared the black anomaly to the magnificent terror of the Death Star. The anomaly beat it hands down. He eyed it nervously.
"How did you manage this?" Connor asked.
"Without your input I would have never got this far. The technicians helped me tweak some of your ideas and here is the result."
Connor gulped. He had a lot to correct. Even now the anomaly seemed to writhe uncomfortably like a snake.
"It looks unstable."
"That's nothing we can't fix." replied Phillip assuredly. Abby frowned. How could it be fixed? Connor wasn't convinced either. "Look I'll prove it to you. Simmons!"
A young man's head poked up from behind a heap of Prospero equipment. He reminded Abby of Connor when she'd first met him.
"Yes sir?"
"It's time to test that process we discussed."
"Ah okay. Hold on a minute."
The man ducked down and there was a sound of buttons being pressed and switches flicked. At first the anomaly was unresponsive but then a zap of electricity hit it and it shrunk, ever so slightly at the edges. It was not enough to ease Connor's conscience however.