Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.
2.5-3 The Calm Before The Mammoth
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Oliver Leek enjoyed chewing out Percy the following week.
Really, the idea of starting a training program for students… to learn skills to deal with the anomalies and the creatures that came through them. Ridiculous. Leek didn't care if Taylor Craig or any other number of students was interested in joining the ARC.
By the time Leek got done with his plan there wouldn't be an ARC… or schools for that matter.
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James Lester stopped by Captain Ryan's desk on his way out that evening.
"You have some records for me to look at?" he asked carefully adjusting his purple tie.
"Yeah," Tom answered as he reached for a small handful of personnel files. He passed them over to Lester.
"Some options for your next head of security operations," Tom told the head of the ARC. "The two files on top… are the best candidates."
Lester looked at the man in front of him. "I told you," he said quietly "that position is being held for your return."
Tom shook his head. "I got the medical reports back," he replied "I'll be holding down a desk job now… you're going to need a real action man for keeping up with the team on an anomaly alert… not some broken…"
"You're not broken," interrupted Lester angrily "you were wounded in the service of our country… saving lives…"
"So listen to me now," interrupted Captain Ryan tersely "and let me save more lives. I can't be your head of security operations in the field… I'll never be quick, never be able to run again."
Pointing at the files still in Lester's hand, he added "But one of those people can… and they will save lives too."
Lester swallowed hard. He took his gaze off the brave Captain and looked down at the files. He set all but the topmost two files back down on the desk.
"If you say these two are the best candidates," Lester said, looking at the names on the file tabs "then I won't need the other files… Jake Hemple or Hilary Becker. Hmmm, I wonder what it would be like to have a woman in charge of security."
Captain Ryan almost choked. "Becker's not a woman," he told Lester.
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Nick Cutter was waiting impatiently on the sidewalk in front of the steps to the government building. Behind him Abby and Connor stood watching him carefully, whispering between themselves.
"I've never been a witness," Connor said quietly "for a wedding before."
"Me neither," replied Abby. "Claudia said we just have to be here… watch them answer some questions… sign on the dotted line when we're told to."
"It doesn't sound much like a wedding," whispered Connor "sounds more like filing your taxes."
Abby elbowed him in the ribs. "Hush," she hissed "she's here."
The sleek jaguar pulled up to the curb. Claudia Brown stepped out from the passenger seat. She was dressed in a short white sundress with gold embroidered trim and wearing gold heels that made her appear several inches taller than normal.
Connor gasped out loud. Abby turned to look at him, narrowing her eyes.
"She makes a beautiful bride now," asked Connor hastily "doesn't she?"
"Yeah," replied Abby with a smile.
From within the car, a voice called "Don't forget these." Claudia reached inside and took a bouquet of yellow and white flowers.
As Abby stepped forward to greet Claudia, she got a glimpse of the other woman in the car. Slender, dark brown hair cascading over her shoulders, the woman asked "Claudia, do you want the hat too?"
"No," smiled Claudia "I just want to get married."
Professor Nicholas Cutter, who had been standing there speechless this entire time, knew a cue when he heard one. He stepped forward.
"Claudia Brown," he said "you scared me… I thought you weren't going to show up."
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Stephen watched Nick and Claudia enter the building followed by Abby and Connor. He took a deep breath, then turned on his heel and walked away. He wouldn't be a witness to this wedding.
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Abby couldn't believe how quickly the registrar had gone through the ceremony. In less than twenty minutes she and Connor had affixed their signatures to the witness lines on the appropriate forms. And Nick and Claudia's middle names, she thought with a chuckle, it was as if they were meant to be together.
Nicholas Eugene Cutter and Claudia Eugenia Brown were now married… til death do they part.
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Connor turned to hold out a hand for Abby as she came down the stairs of the government building.
"Who would have thought," he asked conspiratorially "that Claudia worked for Lester's wife?"
Abby chuckled as she stepped onto the sidewalk, but then she heard her name called.
"Abby," called Claudia from the top of the steps, "catch!" She tossed her bouquet high into the air.
Abby and Connor both stopped their forward movement. They turned and watched as the flowers went up… up… up…
As the flowers began their descent, Abby held out her hands.
Pushing past them both, a big burly man knocked Connor sideways into Abby. She stepped off kilter and reached a hand out to the stair rail, saving herself from falling.
"Sorry," the big man grumbled as he went on up the stairs without even stopping.
Connor, now standing where Abby had been just moments before, was hit in the head with the bouquet. The flowers bounced up and as he raised his hands, to protect himself he would forever after insist, Connor caught the bouquet.
Turning to face Abby, his brown eyes wide with surprise, Connor held the bouquet out towards her. "Abby, would you like the flowers?"
"No Connor," she replied with a smirk "you keep them."
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