Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.
2.7-4 The Bear Facts of the Anomaly
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Abby finished tying the laces on her trainers and looked sideways at Connor. He was still holding the tranquilizer gun, blinking at Cutter's outburst, his mouth opening and shutting as he tried to respond. But Cutter was still shouting, not letting Connor speak.
"What do you think you're doing Connor?" asked Cutter angrily. "This is not a game… you're not some action hero in a movie… going after dinosaurs…"
"Conn," Abby said quietly "give me the gun so I can check the tranquilizer dose… yeah."
Cutter turned his head to glare at her.
"And you," the professor continued, looking from Abby to Connor and back again, "you're not even twenty-five yet… the two of you shouldn't be here… risking your lives… you're too young!"
"And if we don't," interrupted Connor shrilly, finally finding his voice, "if we're not here stopping the creatures… then who will Professor? Who will stop the creatures from killing… if we don't?"
It was Cutter's turn to blink and stare, opening and shutting his mouth. In the sudden silence, Percy spoke up.
"Would you like me to drive to the anomaly site?" he asked. Cutter turned to face the young man at his side.
"No," answered Cutter taking his foot off the brakes and pulling the SUV out onto the roadway. "I'm driving."
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Connor leaned back against the seat, his seatbelt tightening against his chest as Cutter floored the accelerator on the SUV. He was still holding the tranquilizer gun. Fingers gently touched his hand.
"Conn," Abby repeated quietly "give me the gun so I can check the tranquilizer dose… yeah."
Connor released his hold on the weapon, and reached for his messenger bag. Pulling out the laptop, he asked "Have we got any data on the anomaly yet?"
From the front seat of the SUV, Percy turned to look at him. "There's been an incursion," he said pointing to the communications device "Captain Ryan's sending a security team to meet us there… we're to wait for back up."
"Wait for back up?" asked Abby in surprise. "With a creature loose?"
"Lester's new rules," said Cutter with a snort "We're supposed to have security with us at all times." He pulled the SUV into a narrow country lane lined with drainage ditches and split rail fences. Pasture land was on either side of the road.
"I think we're going to be breaking Lester's new rules," replied Connor. Pointing directly in front of them as Cutter slowed the SUV and brought it to a halt he said, "Because there's the anomaly…" Then he pointed to the left "And there's the creature."
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Percy listened to Connor explaining that the creature munching on Mr. Evan's prize yearling calf was most likely an Arctodus, commonly called a short faced bear. The carnivorous creature was huge and according to Connor not likely to make quick turns. The face must be the only thing short about the creature Percy thought.
"We need to herd him back through the anomaly," said Cutter. "Everybody grab some rocks… not you Abby… keep the tranquilizer gun ready… in case the bear doesn't want to go back."
"What?" exclaimed Percy "Why aren't we waiting for back up?"
"The anomaly's blinking," answered Connor pointing at the flickering light in the roadway "it's getting ready to close."
Percy looked at the young man loading his hands with rocks from the side of the road. "And what do we do if it turns towards us?" Percy asked.
"Run," replied Connor. Then, as if in afterthought, he added "And try to zigzag a bit… might help."
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James Lester didn't go home after Stephen's funeral. He stayed at the ARC and was there when the field and security teams returned. He listened to Captain Ryan's debriefing report. He couldn't believe that his field team had resorted to throwing rocks at a prehistoric bear.
Ryan's security team had arrived as the annoyed creature had turned away from the carcass it was eating. It roared in frustration and began to climb out of the pasture, through the broken rail fence and up to the road. Instead of heading towards the anomaly, it had run straight at Abby. Connor had bolted towards the young woman, tackling her and rolling her down the embankment on the other side of the road before the Arctodus even came close to her… but the huge creature roared and continued on. Hendriks and Stephenson had been obliged to use lethal force. The bear was dead.
"Any injuries?" asked Lester.
"Abby's got some bumps and bruises from Connor tackling her," replied the Captain "but Connor…"
"What about Connor?"
Ryan smirked. Abby had been at the bottom of the embankment, her body completely covered by Connor.
"She was calling Connor… telling him to get off her," chuckled Ryan "but he wasn't moving. Stephenson jumped down there and rolled Connor off of her… the tranquilizer dart had jabbed him in the leg… he'll probably have quite a headache…"
Lester tried to suppress a smirk.
"Well, it seems only fair," Lester replied "I seem to recall having to fill out health and safety forms for Connor shooting Abby with a tranquilizer not so long ago."
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Cutter was ranting again.
"You were supposed to get in the SUV if the creature turned towards you." the professor roared "what were you thinking?"
Connor winced at the loud noise the professor was making. "Ow."
He didn't think he should tell Cutter that he'd been thinking about how great Abby's legs looked in that short skirt… and the wind ruffling that same short skirt…
"Connor," said the professor in a gentler tone of voice "I can't… lose anyone else."
"Cutter," said Abby taking Connor by the hand "you won't lose us… we stick together… we watch out for each other."
She pulled Connor up to a standing position. He let out a little involuntary moan and closed his eyes.
"And right now," Abby continued "I think I should take Connor back to the flat for a lie down. Yeah."
"Yeah," agreed Cutter as he watched Percy open the door to his office and let the pair out. "Oh, and don't forget… Lester said we've got Monday off."
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