"What are you going to use this anomaly for?" he said.
"Experimental purposes." Phillip responded. "Let's just say I want to keep a friend of mine alive."
Connor was confused until an old foe stepped out from behind the Prospero machinery. She joined Phillip.
"Helen."
She looked young.
"Hello Connor."
"What are you doing here?"
Helen smirked. Last time she'd seen the geek he seemed so naïve and innocent, but now he possessed the angry bitterness of an adult. In a way he reminded her a little of her husband.
"I'm here to supervise New Dawn. Oh and thanks for this gadget by the way." she sneered gesturing to the anomaly remote in her hand. Connor reached out to grab it but Helen pulled away. "Tut tut. No snatching."
Connor looked at Phillip. Abby's heart broke as she saw the lost expression on her boyfriend's face.
"Why?" he said.
"I've known Helen for several years now. We've shared theories, science and friendship. I used to say she was my New Dawn; did you know that Dawn is her middle name?" he chuckled. "It only made sense to name this project after her."
Abby glared at Burton. How dare he use Connor!
"I knew you were the only genius stupid enough to inadvertently help me Connor." added Helen.
He tried to ignore her but Abby could tell that he was affected by her words.
"What's the anomaly for?" he said.
"Changing the world. It's our little controlled experiment. Phillip has told me that in the future I die. If we alter the right moment in time we can prevent my death."
"Time doesn't work like that. You change one thing no matter how small and it affects everything else."
"You sound just like Nick."
"Actually I got that from Doctor Who."
Abby grinned at Helen's taken aback expression but it didn't take her long to recover.
"Either way you both sound like a stuck record."
"Why did you invite me here in the first place Phillip?"
"Because nobody has gone through our anomaly yet." answered Helen.
She was about to shove Connor towards it but Abby forgot to hold onto her mobile. The magnetic field of the anomaly sent it slamming onto the metal surface of the ventilation shaft. Everybody looked up. Abby decided it was time to make her presence known.
She kicked out the grating below her and swung down through the hatch feet first (after wrenching her phone from the wall). Much to her pleasure her foot connected with Phillip Burton. In fact, she virtually landed right on top of him. Abby dodged Helen's fist, took Connor's hand and together they ran. This time Helen was chasing them.
"Connor?" Abby gasped.
"Yes?"
"Are you crossing your fingers?"
"No." he said far too quickly.
"Connor I'm holding your hand, remember?" Abby reminded him.
"Oh. Well, there's no harm in a little extra luck."
Behind them Phillip must've recovered from Abby's landing. They could hear his voice in the distance yelling for security to do their job. Unfortunately for them Helen was not far behind the pair. She was much better at tailing them than they'd ever been with her. Connor couldn't help but think that maybe Phillip wouldn't need to worry about security with her around.
Abby turned on her comm. and passed Connor his, they were going to need all the help they could get.
"Matt are you there? We're stuck in Prospero." she panted.
"I'm here, just got back from our latest incursion. What's Phillip up to?"
Abby was slightly surprised that he was allowed in the ARC but continued the conversation all the same.
"You were right Matt. He's created this black anomaly that he claims will prevent Helen's death." Abby explained.
"It's very unstable and dangerous. Not to mention bound to backfire!" Connor said.
"He's going to kill everyone!" Matt muttered angrily.
A bizarre squealing noise buzzed through the comms like a siren. The team winced.
"I've got the Prospero blueprints!" screeched an overjoyed Jess.
"Becker have you been giving her chocolate again?" Lester's snarky voice said in the background.
"Sorry, you have no idea how long I've been trying to access these things for." she apologised.
"Can you use them to get Connor and Abby out of there?" asked Becker.
"Maybe. Where are you two?"
"Fourth floor." said Abby.
"We're just coming up to some lifts," added Connor. The lift door opened to reveal a group of armed security. "But I think we should take the stairs."
They kept running from the growing troop of security swarming the building.
"Coming up on your left should be a fire exit, it'll lead you straight out of Prospero." Jess told them.
"I see it."
Abby glanced behind them. Somehow they'd managed to lose Helen. Fortunately for them the corridor was relatively empty. A scientist opposite them wheeled a trolley to a room. She left it outside as she went in to set up. The couple exchanged meaningful glances and then ducked behind the trolley. Barely seconds later a group of uniformed men rushed past. Connor and Abby could only catch glimpses of their faces inbetween the chemicals on the trolley. Then the pair emerged from their crouched hiding place and raced to the fire exit.
"That's a lot of steps!" exclaimed Connor.
"Better get going then." said Abby.
She lead the way down the long spiral staircase.
Meanwhile Helen slowed to a stop in the corridor. She could hear the security men noisily checking out the next turning. However her time in the past had taught her one thing: to trust her instincts and right now they were telling her she was close.
Security was on one side, her the other; Connor and Abby were effectively boxed in so where could they have gone? Helen looked around. The fire exit of course.
Connor panted. You'd think that after all of his work at the ARC he'd be pretty fit. No such luck.
"I officially hate steps." He announced.
"Be quiet Connor you'll give us away!" Abby hissed.
She seemed to be having little trouble steps-wise.
"We'll be fine."
"Not if you keep yapping on!" Abby argued.
What with the couple having been together for so long Connor's confident statement made her long to touch wood. A difficult thing to do on a metal staircase.
Suddenly they heard footsteps on the steps above. Abby gave Connor an 'I told you so' look and they both glanced up. Then they started to run. Their combined steps on the metal rang out loudly. Helen laughed, this was too easy.
"Oh give it up!" she called. "You'll be surrounded in minutes!"
She was lying through her teeth but they didn't know that. Helen watched as they sped up. One of them was bound to trip. It'd probably be clumsy Connor. All the same Helen began to race after the pair.
"How are you doing?" cut in Matt completely oblivious to Helen's yells.