Okay- me again. Been a few days but i am finally in a place where this is going to get finished (hopefully lol). Now this chapter kinda came from nowhere but I but once reading it back i was really pleased with it. Please drop a reveiw and tell em what you think :D Enjoy
Chapter Eleven
'Where the bloody hell am I'…this was the first thought to form itself inside Connor Temples head.
Connor opened and closed his hands a couple of times, he then moved his feet- giving them a small wiggle, just to check everything was working. Satisfied it was, Connor opened his eyes, squinting as a bright, white light penetrated his eyelids. As Connors eyes adjusted to the sunlight, he noticed the room around him started to become clearer, and it was then Connor gasped.
He was in the old ARC, more specifically- the old ARC's Op's Centre. He could see the outline of the curved walls and he noticed the sloping ramp that had led up to Lester's office, he then noticed the figure standing at the top of the ramp. The figure was wearing white trousers and a white shirt, and as Connor sat up- the figures face came into focus.
"It can't be…" Connor mumbled, feeling his heartbeat quicken pace.
"When are ye going learn nothings impossible Connor" the familiar accent of Professor Nick Cutter filled the room. It was then Cutter let out a laugh and began walking down the ramp towards Connor.
"You're dead…" Connor said, although not entirely believing this as he watched Cutter walk down the ramp. Connor took this moment to look at his former mentors feature. He looked exactly the way he had always done, and yet, somehow he looked different- and Connor couldn't think why.
"If I'm dead- then so are you" Cutter said almost like he was talking about the weather as he finally reached the bottom of the ramp. He then turned to face Connor "But somehow- I don't think your dead" Cutter laughed, watching the dumbstruck look on Connors face.
"Whoa…this is so weird" Connor said, slowly getting to his feet so he was finally level with his mentor "How can I be talking to you right now? I saw you…I saw what Helen did" Connor said- but it was only now he noticed what was so different about Nick Cutter. He looked younger then Connor had ever seen, and the most relaxed the young man had ever seen the professor.
"Oh, that still happened Connor- but I'm not here to talk about that" Cutter said, taking a step towards the young man and mentioning his to walk with him. Connor did as he was told, and followed Cutter across the room. After what seemed like no time at all, Cutter and Connor were sitting on a bench looking across the empty space of the old ARC's Main Ops Centre.
"So where are we?" Connor asked, breaking the silence between him and Cutter.
"Where does it look like genius?" Cutter said, grinning as he looked across at Connor.
"Ha ha…I know where we are- the ARC, or the old ARC. I meant where are we?" Connor said, making sure to emphasize the point he was trying to get across.
"The in-between I guess" Cutter said almost to himself then to Connor, he then looked straight ahead of him "Stephen and Sarah say hi" he said suddenly, causing Connor to turn quickly to look at him.
"What do you mean? Are they here as well- because I don't know if I can handle anymore ghosts" Connor said quickly, looking around the room.
"No, there not here Connor" Cutter said as he shook his head "this is our conversation and only ours alone" Cutter finished sadly turning back to face Connor.
The two men sat in the longest silence yet, both preoccupied in their thoughts.
"Connor- the reason you're here is because I wanted to give you a choice" Cutter began "You are the most genuine man I have ever had the pleasure to meet- you were like my son and you still are. That's why I picked you as part of the ARC team. Not because you're a pest that I couldn't get rid of, but because you were genuine, and looking back I think you kept me grounded" Cutter said, looking at Connor "That's why I needed to give you a choice Connor" he finished, turning to face the empty room.
"What choice Cutter? I'm really confused right now and you talking about choices isn't really helping" Connor said, grinning at the last bit, and even Cutter smiled.
"The choice of what to do- right now you've reached that point where you will have to make the hardest choice of your life" Cutter said.
"What choice Cutter?" Connor repeated "you're talking in riddles and none of this even makes sense" Connor said, watching as Cutter stood up and took a few steps forward.
"The choice between going back to the present" Cutter said, and as he did, he waved his left hand in front of him and out of nowhere an anomaly appeared- the ball of light casting a ghostly glow around the room "Or to stay here, with me" Cutter said, waving his right hand and causing another anomaly to form in the air.
And it was then everything clicked into place in Connors head.
Connor slowly stood up, looking at the two anomalies that were slowly spinning through the air in front of him.
"You get a choice, whether you want to die or not?" Connor said turning to face Cutter.
"Not everybody does, I didn't- nor did Stephen and Sarah. But you do. I'm giving you a choice to either go back to the present or to stay here- and live out the rest of time in peace" Cutter said, moving to stand next to Connor.
Connor looked dumbstruck from the anomalies to the face of the professor- he shouldn't even be considering the idea of not going back- but somehow, the idea of peace was strangely attractive to Connor.
But then a face flashed into his mind, a face of someone he couldn't leave behind, not now, not after all they'd been through together.
"You're thinking about Becker aren't you?" Cutter said, turning to face Connor, who nodded.
"I can't leave him behind Cutter- he waited that whole year for me to return home from the Cretaceous, and we've been through so much together. I couldn't do that to him, not again" Connor said, looking Cutter in the eye- the professor gave him a look before nodding.
"You've made your choice" Cutter said, smiling at Connor, who looked shocked.
"What…is that it? It's as simple as that?" Connor asked, watching as Cutter slowly walked away from him.
"It's as simple as that" Cutter said laughing, stepping so the shards of floating glass of the anomaly began to swallow him.
"Wait, you can't just go- will I see you again?" Connor said desperately steeping forward, but Cutter held out his hand.
"No…no you won't" Cutter said honestly "Not until the end of days Connor. But I want you to know I am incredibly proud of you, you've grown from being some annoying college student to an amazing, courageous young man- just remember that, no matter what people tell you" Cutter said, and Connor saw him slowly begin disappear from existence.
"Tell me one last thing Professor" Connor said, taking a step back "Was any of this real? Or has it all been happening in my head?"
Cutter laughed loudly before giving Connor a knowing smile as the shards of glass enveloped his entire body.
"Of course this has been happening in your head, Connor- but what stops it from being it was real?"
Chapter Eleven over- tell what you think :) D