A FEW VISITORS
CHAPTER 13
CONNOR
Connor expected to arrive back at his home to find Abby settling down in front of the telly for the evening, Nancy and Molly keeping themselves entertained, and the house to otherwise be peaceful.
What he found was probably as far from that as possible.
He opened the front door, and Abby was immediately shouting.
"You sold the Anomaly Locking Mechanism?!"
He froze, and spotted his girlfriend (clad in only a dressing gown, for some reason) stood in the kitchen, along with Matt Anderson and Captain Hilary Becker, neither of whom looked any happier than her.
"...Hi?"
"Connor, how could you—"
"It's so irresponsible! Don't even—"
"I don't understand what you—"
"When did this happen, anyway—"
"And then they took my car—"
Suddenly, everyone in the room was shouting, at him, at each other, and Connor realised he had royally fucked up.
"Looks like you've dug yourself a hole here, mate..." Sid whispered in his ear.
Natasha and Sid were stood in the hallway behind him, and he was almost embarrassed to be involving them in this atmosphere.
"Maybe I should go?" Natasha asked him.
"No, no," he said, and stepped into the apartment. "Alright, guys! Listen! Everyone! STOP!"
The room fell silent and everybody looked at him.
Haley, Nancy, Jake and Derek were in the kitchen, too, and he chose to ignore the sight of Molly jumping around on the couch.
"Alright, I can explain everything if you just shut up." he said.
Abby crossed her arms.
"Is it true, Connor?"
He sighed, and stepped inside.
"Uh, yes. But— but— I have been working very hard this evening to fix everything, and we are very close to having the machine back in our possession."
"Is that so?" Matt asked, skeptically.
"Yes, actually," Connor replied, "because I met this lady. Her name is Natasha."
Natasha stepped inside the flat, holding little Derek in her arms, and waved meekly at everyone.
Connor heard a gasp, and noticed the stunned faces of the younger generation in the room.
"Well, it's very nice to meet you, but how exactly is she helping?" Abby asked.
Connor sighed.
"I gave the machine to a bloke named Dave, who is a friend of Jack's. He took it when we were... Umm, not of 'sound mind' the other night, Abby."
Abby looked a little less high and mighty, then, as embarrassment and understanding crept onto her face.
"Oh."
"So, where is it?" Becker asked, exasperatedly.
Connor shuffled on the spot nervously.
"I just went to see 'Dave'. He's being... Uncooperative."
Matt huffed, and exchanged a look with Becker, who looked to Abby. But Abby was more preoccupied with Natasha, who was awkwardly the centre of three teenagers' attention.
"I'm sorry, but how do you know about the Anomaly Locking Mechanism?" Abby asked.
Matt and Becker suddenly realised this, too.
"Oh. My name's Natasha Lester. I'm James Lester's sister." Natasha told them.
All of the adults in the room were equally surprised to learn this, but Connor had other plans than to let them stand around slack-jawed.
"Right, well, moving on," he said. "I will make my formal apology and all that hullabaloo later. But right now, I need some people who will make Dave cooperate, if you know what I mean."
"I'm supposing Dave isn't the nicest guy?" Matt asked.
"Well, no. Imagine a massive bald guy, well over six foot, covered in tattoos with a strong dislike for people at his front door." Sid explained, nervously.
Becker and Matt nodded to one another, and headed towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Abby asked them.
Connor opened the door and slipped out first, closely followed by Sid and then Becker.
"To get our mechanism back." Becker said.
Matt turned around and pointed at Derek.
"You," he called. "Come with us."
Derek tore his eyes away from the child that Natasha Lester was holding in her arms, and jogged over to the door with them.
"Molly," the Irishman snapped before leaving also. "Stop jumping on Jess' couch."
The small twelve-year-old did as she was told.
"Oi!" Haley shouted. "How come you lot are going and not me?"
Becker stuck his head back in the door.
"Because you're just not. Understood?"
"Why? I'll be more bloody use than Sid!"
"No."
"But—
"No!"
Haley groaned, and stormed off into the living room to plonk herself down next to Molly.
"Don't you give me that attitude!" Becker shouted. "And we'll be having a word about your grand theft auto when I get back!"
Then, the door slammed, and Abby, Nancy, Haley, Molly, Jake and Natasha Lester were left in an uncomfortable and sudden silence.
The doorbell rang.
It was just past midnight; the rain had stopped, and the air smelled of smoke.
A single streetlamp in front of Mr. Dave's house barely illuminated the figures of five men, all crammed onto the front doorstep of the terrace house.
"Who the fuck is it?" came a gruff voice.
"Charming," Becker muttered under his breath.
Matt rolled his eyes, and shouted, "Thomas Cook. You've won a free trip to Dubai."
Sid snorted at that, and Connor came to the conclusion that Matt's sense of humour was nocturnal.
The door flew open, and a rough-looking brute of a fellow stared groggily at them.
"What the—" he spotted Connor, and his face fell. "You!"
Connor smiled, perhaps the most terrified smile he had ever given, and waved.
"Hiya."
"What did I say I'd do to you if you didn't fuck off?" the man growled.
Connor gulped.
Beside him, Sid piped up.
"You mentioned something about beating him to a bloody pulp."
Sid received glares from all around, and then Becker cleared his throat.
"Excuse me, Dave," he said. "But we are of the belief that you are in the possession of something that belongs to us. So we would like it back, and we're not leaving until we get it."
Dave eyed the captain, who remained stony-faced, unmoving and not the least bit intimidated.
"What the fuck are you going to do about it?" Dave barked.
Becker and Matt exchanged a look, and then Matt pulled out his E.M.D, as did Derek, who had been calmly stood at the end of the front stoop.
Dave looked startled.
"Woah, what the—"
"Save it," Becker interrupted. "Give us the machine, and this will be a lot easier."
Dave's jaw clenched, and suddenly he wasn't so cocky. He eyed the E.M.D.s, secretly afraid and with a whole lot of questions, and then looked at Becker.
Reluctantly, he opened the door wide, and said, "It's in 'ere. Come and get it."
Connor and Sid smirked at one another, and Matt and Becker stepped past Dave into the dark house beyond.
"Told ya," Connor whispered. "He just needed a little persuasion from the Captain, that's all..."
Sid nodded.
"Yeah, it's sorted now. Don't worry about Abby, either, she'll forgive you." he smiled kindly and clapped him on the shoulder. "It'll be 'reet."
Sid skipped inside after Derek, a little effeminately, and Connor laughed to himself.
When Connor had first laid eyes on Sid, he'd been absolutely terrified. The boy looked so much like him, it was hard for his brain to register. The fear had been overwhelming, but now he had become his friend. It was like talking to himself, a mirror that responded, a friendly doppleganger that finished his sentences and spoke his thoughts out loud.
He smiled to himself, and suddenly didn't feel so bad about losing the Anomaly Locking Mechanism.
His little moment of poignance came to a halt, however, when he heard a shriek from inside the house, and the clicking of the E.M.D.s.
He bolted inside, and found Dave holding Sid as a sort of human shield, one arm restraining him and the other pointing a knife at his face.
"Jesus Christ, mate!" Connor yelped.
"Nobody fuckin' move," Dave shouted. "You come any closer and I'll slit his throat."
Connor gulped, and raised his hands to show that he was unarmed and defenceless.
Matt was a couple of feet away from him, E.M.D. raised and pointing straight at Dave.
Derek had copied Matt's actions; Becker was nowhere in sight. The room was poorly lit, and it was hard to make out the surroundings.
"Alright, calm down," Matt said, cooly. "We down want any trouble."
"You were askin' for trouble when you came back 'ere, with your big fuckin' guns and your government shit."
Sid's eyes— brown, puppy-like ones to match Connor's own— were wide with fright as he shook and struggled in this man's grip.
"Okay. What will it take to get you to let him go?" Matt asked.
Dave pressed the edge of the knife into Sid's jaw, drawing blood. He and Connor winced simultaneously.
"You lot are from the government," he said. "I don't want fuckin' listenin' devices in me house, or investigations goin' on, or experiments on me head. You hear? I don't want to be shipped off to some prison where I'll never see the light of day, like some terrorist!"
Matt's expression didn't change.
"We're not here to do any of that. We are just here to get our machine."
"There's stuff in this house that doesn't belong to me." Dave said, his voice low and shaky. "Stuff that could put me away for a long time. I can't let that happen."
"We're not the police. And we're not affiliated with the police." Matt said.
Dave shook his head, and dug the knife further into Sid's jaw. Sid shut his eyes tight.
"Please, just let him go. He didn't do anything!" Connor pleaded.
"You know now. I can't let you leave. You'll tell the police." the massive man said, quickly and frantically. "Put your guns down."
"We're not—"
"PUT THE FUCKIN' GUNS DOW—"
There was the horrible sound of metal hitting bone, and Dave stumbled forward, cursing and yelling in agony. Sid leaped to safety, and where they had been standing now stood Captain Becker, holding a metal pot.
Connor was amazed that Dave was still conscious, but indeed the bald man got back to his feet and turned to face Becker.
He was too swift for Matt or Derek to get a decent aim, and there was a crack as his huge fist collided with the side of Becker's face.
Whether it was due to the adrenaline or some miracle, Becker sprang right back up from the blow as if he had never felt it and threw an equally devastating punch into Dave's jaw.
Dave fell into a crumpled heap, knocked unconscious.
They all remained silent from shock.
"Wow." Connor finally said. "Well done, action man."
Becker just frowned, breathing heavily, and then doubled over in pain and clothed his face.
"Aaagh! My god, did he have iron knuckles?!"
Matt lowered his E.M.D.
"Let's get the Anomaly Locking Mechanism and get the hell out of here."
ABBY
Natasha had left the flat shortly after the boys, leaving Abby, Haley, Nancy, Molly and Jake alone.
Molly fell asleep on the couch, and Jake accompanied her in slumber (but not after teasing Haley about how Becker was going to punish her later).
Once the two younger ones fell asleep, only Abby, Nancy and Haley remained, giving the girls a golden opportunity to do something they really shouldn't have.
"So, Abby," Nancy began. "How are you feeling?"
Abby looked skeptical when asked the question.
"Good. Why?"
Nancy shrugged.
"I dunno. Just wondering if you're sick, or tired, or anything..."
Abby stared at her, her face somewhere between cross and confused.
"Why are you asking?"
Haley shot Nancy a look, but it was ignored.
"Do you want to know a fact about 2013?" Nancy suddenly asked.
Abby raised an eyebrow.
"It's 2012. You're not supposed to tell me."
"It'll be 'reet," Nancy said, waving her hand in dismissal. "Kim Kardashian gets pregnant. She and Kanye West have a baby."
Abby cocked her head to the side.
"Is that so?"
Nancy smiled.
"Yeah. Guess who else has a baby in 2013?"
Abby narrowed her eyes.
"Who?"
"Kate Middleton and Prince William. It's born in July." the girl said.
Abby was sat in an armchair in the living room, now wearing pyjama bottoms and one of Connor's X-Men t-shirts, nursing a hot chocolate. Nancy and Haley were on the sofa, squashed at the end so as not to disturb the sleeping Jake and Molly with any movement.
"Nancy, stop it." Haley hissed.
Abby smiled.
"That's nice. Celebrities having babies."
"Yeah," Nancy said. "Not just celebrities either..."
Haley became very anxious.
"Nancy—"
"What are you trying to say?" Abby asked, leaning forward in her seat in suspicion.
"Nancy—"
"We know you're pregnant!" Nancy snapped.
She then clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide as if she'd just given Satan the access code to Pandora's box.
Abby's jaw dropped.
Haley covered her face with her hands in devastation.
"Oh, god..." she groaned.
Abby began to stammer things, and she looked angry, as if trying to come up with some snappy threat or accusation to retaliate.
Haley punched Nancy in the arm.
"You just can't keep your fucking mouth shut, can you?!" she hissed.
Nancy bit her lip.
Abby shook her head.
"Wh— How— I'm guessing you know because you're from the future?"
Nancy nodded.
"Yeah... And because of the pregnancy test in your shopping bags."
"You went through my stuff?!" Abby snapped.
Haley stared off at the opposite wall, blankly. She didn't have the energy to deal with Nancy's idiocy.
"I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself!" Nancy whispered.
Abby looked pale.
"So I am, then? Definitely?"
Nancy and Haley nodded in unison.
Abby sunk into the armchair. Her eyes flickered over to Nancy.
"Does Connor know?"
Nancy shook her head.
"Just me and Haley. And Derek. Nobody else has figured it out, and we've not told anyone."
Abby swallowed, and they sat in silence for a while.
Abby wasn't angry— rather, she was letting it sink in that she was indeed pregnant.
Nancy was awaiting some sort of miniature celebration, but for the time being kept quiet and still.
Haley was thinking about how much they had royally fucked up this entire thing.
Eventually, Abby huffed.
They looked over to her, and she smiled, her eyes a little watery.
"I'm having a baby!" she whispered.
A massive grin broke out on Nancy's face, and she stood to give Abby a hug. Abby got to her feet, and hugged the teenaged girl.
Haley smiled at the sight; they were exactly the same height, and their mannerisms and looks were so similar. It was like she was hugging her clone.
"I'm having a baby," she repeated, quietly so as to not wake Jake or Molly. "I'm having a baby. I'm having a baby!"
They giggled, and Abby began to cry happily.
She wiped her tears away and laughed.
"I wasted eleven bloody pounds on that pregnancy test. I could've just asked you."
Nancy laughed.
"Oh, don't worry, you can just give it to—"
"NANCY!" Haley shouted.
Nancy pressed her lips together, realising she was perhaps about to spill the beans on something else.
"Sorry." she squeaked.
Before Abby could inquire as to what she was going to say, the front door opened and Connor walked in, followed closely by Sid, Matt, Becker and Derek.
"Hiya," Connor called, tiredly.
Matt was holding the Anomaly Locking Mechanism in his arms.
"You got it back!" Abby cheered.
Connor beamed at her (as if he was off the hook) and opened his arms wide.
"See? Taken care of!"
Jake stirred, and then sat up in a panic.
"Wh-What? Wha'ss goin' on?" he slurred.
Haley rolled her eyes at him, and then looked up at Becker and gasped.
"Holy crap, what happened to your face?!"
The left side of his head was red and purple, turning black in places, a plum-coloured swollen mess that ran around his eye socket and cheekbone and bruised the cheek beneath. He sighed.
"We got the machine back... But it came at a price."
She went over to examine his injuries as Sid walked over to Nancy.
He pointed at his jaw, which sported a rather deep cut.
"Look, Nance. Battle scar. I was held hostage." he said, proudly.
Connor met Abby in the middle of the room, who hugged him tightly. Surprised at her friendly, suddenly-not-so-angry-that-he-feared-for-his-life actions, he patted her on the back.
"Abs, you alright?" he asked. She stepped away from him and smiled. "Have you been crying?"
She laughed at his worry and shook her head.
"Nah. Titanic was on TV. Always gets me."
He nodded.
"Yeah it does. What gets me is that Leo DiCaprio has never won an Oscar. What's that about?"
"Alright," Matt said, a voice of authority. "It's nearly one in the morning. Work tomorrow. Let's get going, it's way past these lots' bedtimes."
Molly was still asleep on the couch, so Nancy draped a blanket over her and shut the TV off.
"If she's sleeping there, where am I gonna sleep?" Sid whispered.
"The spare room?" his sister suggested.
He pulled a face. "I don't wanna share a bed with you!"
"We shared a womb, dumbass."
Matt took the Anomaly Locking Mechanism home— he'd be damned if he left it in Connor's possession— and Connor and Abby began to switch off lamps, ready to head to bed.
"Come on you three," Becker told Haley, Jake and Derek. "Lets get you back to the flat."
"You still have to punish Haley for stealing your car." Jake reminded him, with a yawn. Haley smacked him across the back of the head.
Becker caught Jake's yawn, and ushered them out of the doorway. "We'll get to that in the morning. Right now, I'm bloody exhausted."
