Hello! For all those who have been enjoying the Sun by venturing outside. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval. Hesitantly.
"You want to what?" said Lester incredulously.
"I just want to know how fast they can run away from trouble if there is any," defended Becker. "It may be key to some of my field decisions."
"They don't run away from trouble; they run towards it and I can tell you they do that at a fair pace." Lester sighed and surveyed the paperwork on his desk. "I suppose it would be useful and would keep them out of my way for an afternoon. Go on then; I'll give it my blessing."
Becker raised an eyebrow in confusion at this comment. He'd only been with the group a couple of weeks and already he was sure the scientists had rubbed off on the civil servant. Still, he'd got what he wanted and there was no arguing with that.
"You want us to what?" said Abby dubiously. Becker felt rather uneasy at all the stares that greeted his suggestion, but he reassured himself with the fact that he had the boss on his side... not that he felt that had a lot of clout around here.
"I did not study Egyptology just to get hot and sweaty," complained Sarah.
"Pretty hot in Egypt," mused Connor.
"You joined here. You really think that you're never going to have to run away from something," replied Becker. Sarah slumped back in the break room's sofa, defeated.
It was at this point Cutter decided to step in. "How long would it take?"
"Depends how fast you are. Couple of hours tops for everyone." Cutter sipped some tea as he considered the proposition that was laid before him with a cool and level mind which would not be caught up in the effort involved, only the result. Eventually, he nodded and Becker mentally breathed a sigh of relief.
"You want me to what?" said Connor uncertainly. He stared up that the wooden wall that towered about eight foot in the air and which Becker was pointing at.
The Captain sighed patiently. "Climb over the wall, climb the ladder leading you to the rope bridge, cross the bridge, crawl under the net, wade through the mud, navigate your way across the climbing apparatus without touching the ground, use the steeping stones to cross the river and ring the bell." Connor stared blankly at him. "It'll only take you thirty minutes; forty tops."
Connor pulled a disgusted face, but grabbed onto the first hand hold and shifted himself up about half a foot. A soldier started a timer which had a piece of paper marked Connor attached to it. Connor meanwhile scrabbled for the second hold and in doing so lost his footing and fell backwards onto Becker, who shoved him back upwards.
"Connor!"
"Sorry!" The young scientist scrambled up the rest of the way, using manoeuvres which made Becker's heart break. Eventually, he got to the top and fell over the other side. There was a loud bump.
"You OK?" asked Becker.
"Yeah," came an answer, a point confirmed by the sound of scrabbling and feet walking off.
Becker looked to Abby, who just shrugged as she waited for her turn. Becker was starting to see why it was the scientists were left to their own devices. Five minutes later, he gestured for Abby to start and the petite blond did so far faster than Connor.
Ten minutes later, Abby appeared, much to Becker's surprise.
"Either you've done that faster than any Marine or you cheated," he concluded as Abby caught her breath.
"It's not that. It's Connor," she gasped.
"Don't tell me he's taken down the bridge as he crossed."
Abby shook her head. "No, he managed that." Becker relaxed. "He's drowning in the mud." Becker groaned. From now on, he'd just assume they were fit.
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