********PNW finale spoilers- PUK post-S5 spoilers. *********
Summary: Connor and Kieren go back through the anomaly, to find that something's changed. And that change upturns the boat of Connor's life. But maybe all isn't lost.
AN: After watching the Primeval New World finale, my mind went into paranoid overdrive and came out with this fic to help work out my fears for Conby. And no, this doesn't actually happen in PNW's finale. :P If you're reading this, I'll assume you've seen it already. If you haven't... don't read?
Chapter 6 : Predictions
"Okay." Connor looked up so fast at the sound of Mac's voice that he gave himself whiplash.
"Ow, ow!" He rubbed the side of his neck and blinked up at Mac standing in front of his desk. Papers were scattered over the top, filled with equations, and Connor's laptop was open next to a rectangular shaped device with parts hanging out unfinished.
"Sorry." Mac said, tone grudgingly apologetic. Connor waved him off, sitting up straighter, putting down the screwdriver next to the device.
"Erm, so..."
"Okay, I'll do it, I'll go along with your crazy plan." Mac told him, arms crossed across his chest.
"Oh. Great!" Connor exclaimed, feeling a little flustered. "Erm, wha'-all made you change your mind?"
"Jacks can be very convincing." Was all Mac said, before he nodded at Connor and left the lab. The young genius sat there looking gormless, until he turned back to his work with a shake of his head.
"Are you basing your design on the device from the other alternate future?"
Connor jumped, heart beating rapidly for a moment until he looked up with a scowl at Matt Anderson.
"I wish you all would stop doin' tha'!" He whined, but the scowl slipped at he smiled at his friend after a moment.
"Sorry, mate. Forgot that you're oblivious to everythin' around you when you're workin'."
"Hmf."
After a pause, Connor looked up to see Matt still there, smiling fondly.
"Wha'?" something clicked in his brain and Connor flushed. "Oh, right! Ah, yeah, from what I c'n remember of the device, at least." He paused, and bit his lip. "There're two options. One, I design it to predict anomalies only. Or two, I set it the way Helen's was, where it finds anomalies tha' already exist and does th' opposite of an anomaly locker on 'em. We c'n find and go through anomalies long before they'll open, bu' we'll still 'ave to travel to th' spot they'd normally open at." Matt was quiet while Connor rushed through his explanation, incredibly nervous. Both options were completely safe, and in fact the second would allow them the ability to predict the anomalies as well. But he was afraid Matt wouldn't approve.
The Irishman looked over the plans on the piece of paper Connor had gestured to, and 'hmm'ed under his breath. Then he looked at Connor.
"As long as you only make one, an' don't lose it in th' past or anythin' like that, I'd hazard a guess that you're in the clear with either of 'em." Matt said. Connor's face brightened with a broad grin.
"Awesome! I'll make th' second. Tha' way, we don' 'ave to wait." Or at least, they hoped.
"I worked out the patterns, and included that and some data from the dating calculator inta this. Basically, it'll unseal a pre-existing, invisible, sealed anomaly, and can also seal them again after. We'd best predict th' locations first, so if we 'ave to use this, we'll be in the right spot when it opens. Better'n hitting a few buttons 'ere an' having an anomaly in Scotland open unattended, yeah?"
They chuckled. Connor felt comfortably warm. He just had one more thing to do: test it.
The device had accurately predicted that an anomaly would open in the last isle of a Tescoe's off the main road near London, to the Triassic, two days from then. Luckily, they were there when it did, and nothing came through before they locked it.
Matt told Connor that the next time, they'd let him seal the anomaly with his newest device instead of the locker.
Connor's breath left him when he read the data on the screen. The AUSAPD (it was only a temporary name - the anomaly unsealing and prediction device) gave a faint beep, and he hit the button to silence the alarm. He was reading the prediction. Everything suddenly seemed so much more real.
In three days' time, he and Mac would go through an anomaly in New Forest and hopefully fix the problem.
Connor was nervous. If he got this wrong, if this was in any way incorrect, he coul make things worse - he was taking a big risk. Even though he was at least 95% sure his theory was correct, and that if he did nothing time and space would completely unravel, he was still worried about what could happen.
It was a lot to be resting on his shoulders alone.
Connor took a deep breath and let it out slowly, steadying himself, before he looked at Mac, and nodded. The other man closed his eyes.
Connor hoped he would not regret this.