Primal Encounters

Chapter 1: The Big Reveal

The Washington Labs chopper approaches its destination, carrying a wide range of passengers, all have been hired and are on their way to the top-secret lab for their briefing and orientation before they embark on their journey. The team will consist of 8 people: A Team Commander, 2 Security Escorts, 2 Engineers, A Doctor, and 2 Scientists. The chopper starts to land at the facility, its landing gear hitting the ground with a loud thump. An assistant walks up to the chopper and opens the door. First to get out of the chopper is Allen Ross the team engineer. He is an older man, in his mid-fifties, short white hair, and in need of a shave. Wearing a red t-shirt with a vest and brown cargo pants, he walks toward someone wearing a Washington Labs coat who is waving him over. Next out of the chopper is Dr. Noah Smith, a world-renowned Paleontologist. In his early thirties, Dr. Smith is wearing his signature white cowboy hat and boots, as well as light blue jeans and flannel shirt, heads over to where Ross is standing. Then Dr. Amy Dells, the Field Medic walks out and stands with the other two team members. Wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and brown coat, with short black hair and brown pants. The Security Escorts, Sam Rygard and Jake Tobias get out next, wearing their uniform tan long sleeved button up shirts and black pants and combat boots.  Tobias has a crew cut and brown hair, and Rygard's blonde hair can be barely seen sticking out under his brown bush hat. They go and meet up with the group as well. Dr. Benjamin White, the Paleobotanist steps out, carrying a big duffle bag, and shuffles over with the rest of the team. Wearing a black sweater and also wearing light blue jeans, and has dark blonde hair. Last but not least, the team leader Marcus Decker steps out. Wearing a short sleeved black shirt, dark blue jeans and combat boots with his dark hair showing through the back of his old and worn black baseball cap. He also has a scar running down his right eye. He walks over and meets the rest of the group. They are greeted by a short man in a lab coat.                                                                                    
"Hi, my name is Gerald, welcome to our facility. Follow me and I will show you all to the conference room."
Gerald starts walking to the door, waving the group to follow him. They all start following him. They enter a long hallway, at the end looks like another door with a panel to the left. Gerald walks up to it and enters a code which revels a hidden thumb print scanner. He puts his thumb on it and it makes its usual whirring noise, then glows green to indicate that it has approved his ID. The door unlocks, Gerald opens it and revels a lab, bustling with lab techs and scientists. Gerald leads them right through the middle of it all.
"They have a lot to do, preparing for tomorrow and all. Corporate has all the labs in the building preparing for this once in a lifetime event." Gerald says as he hits the going up button on an elevator. The door opens and they all walk in. Gerald hits the 12th floor button and the elevator goes up. When the door opens, they are again faced with a long hallway, with an open door at the end. Gerald walks toward it leading them to the conference room. Inside they are greeted by a tall man with short brown hair, wearing a lab coat.
"My name is Dr. James Prendergast, welcome to Washington Labs. I know you all are curious as to the specifics as to why you are here so I will get right to the point. Up to this point you have been told that our company has been planning a scientific expedition and are in need of your services. You also have been given certain details as to what your jobs will be. I to will be joining you, and I cannot wait."
Dr. Prendergast turns on a screen behind him and dims the lights.
"For 10 years now, Washington Labs has been working on a secret project that would change the face of science as we know it. A break though in Quantum Physics led to the ability to create a machine that could theoretically let you travel through time, we call it the Time Sphere, due to the fact that the portal looks like a sphere."
The group all start looking at each other in disbelief. Decker could even hear someone suppressing a laugh. Dr. Prendergast waits for everyone to stop chuckling to themselves before he continues.
"To put it in a way you can understand, the machine can open a wormhole in the spacetime continuum. Using a complicated series of calculations, we can set the machine to go wherever and whenever we want."
Prendergast notices Decker raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"Look, this is great and all but what does this have to do with us?"
"I was getting to that. Once the machine was constructed and tested, we determined that an expedition was a viable option. After much deliberation, we began organizing an expedition. We first had to decide where we wanted to go. With such an extraordinary machine, we thought we should go where no man has gone before. Somewhere everyone at one point in their lives has dreamed of going. Prehistory!"
Dr. Smith and Dr. White almost jump out of their seats. Decker just stares at Dr. Prendergast in disbelief. Ross leans forward and puts his hands to his chin, absorbing what he just heard. Dr. Dells, Tobias and Rygard all are staring in amazement at the prospect of traveling to prehistoric times. Waiting a moment for this to soak in, Prendergast continues.
"The next step was to figure out what we needed for the expedition. We designed custom off road vehicles, high output tasers, and other field equipment that we will orient you all on. The last step on organizing the expedition, was putting together a team that could handle the journey and what they would find on the other side. That's why you all are here. The top minds in each of your fields, the best of the best. Any questions before we move on to field gear orientation?"
Ross raises his hand.
"Yes?"
"When do we leave?" Ross asks.
"Noon tomorrow."
Dr. Smith Raises his hand.
"Yes?"
"You said we were going to a prehistoric time. When were we going exactly?" Smith asks.
"Good question. It was decided that the first time period man would go is North America, during the Pliocene Epoch, roughly 2 million years ago."
"So no Dinosaurs?" Tobias asks.
"No Dinosaurs." Prendergast responds.
When no else raises their hands, Prendergast starts walking toward the elevator.
"If you all will follow me please. I will take you to where they have constructed the field equipment."
Prendergast hits the down button, motioning for everyone to join him. The door opens, everyone piles in. once everybody is inside, Prendergast hits the ground floor button, and the elevator begins its descent. Once the elevator has reached its destination, Prendergast goes to the left, walking towards a hallway with a big set of doors at the end. Everyone's curiosity grows with each step, wondering if what they heard in the conference room could actually be true. Prendergast unlocks the door at the end of the hallway and pushes it open.
"This is where we have constructed and are keeping our field equipment. We have constructed three 4x4 custom armored 4 door, tan Toyota Tacoma's. Complete with 5-ton winch, roof mounted lights and engine snorkels. We also have a Predator 6.6 off road RV. We gutted the interior and redesigned the inside to hold scientific equipment and other supplies."
As everybody takes in the bustle of activity, dozens of workers making last minute modifications and last touches being done to the vehicles. Prendergast goes to the far left of the garage, towards yet another set of doors. He opens the them, reveling a large room, walls covered with large lockers and display shelves.
"This is where the rest of your equipment is stored. Most of it will be pretty straight forward, camping gear, scientific equipment that you will already be familiar with. There are a few items that I want to show you specifically. First are these."
Prendergast opens a locker marked Weapons. Prendergast pulls out a Spas-12.
"For you who will be providing security, these are a new form of tasers. They are standard guns, but they fire newly designed high output nonlethal taser rounds. They are designed to stun the target, but not kill. There are three models of taser guns. What you see here the Spas-12, P-90 and a 380 Beretta. There are high, medium and low-level rounds."
Prendergast then moves to a locker at the far end of the room. Unlocking it, he opens the door, reveling a device that looks like an advanced radio.
"This is a part of the Time Sphere tech. This device will be taken with us to our destination. Its function is to reopen the portal."
"How?" Ross asks.
"Let me explain. The Time Sphere can't stay open due to the tremendous amount of energy required, but we designed it to go to sleep as it were. One a portal has been established its power level can be controlled. We can set it so that it let big objects through, like vehicles or people, or we can scale it back to where only a something like a signal can go back and forth. This device can send a signal through to let the Time Sphere operators know to open the portal to let them through."
"How do you work it?" Ross again asks.
"It's simple." Prendergast holds the device up so everyone can see it. "First you extend the antenna on the top right. Then you flip the left switch to prime it, the red-light indicator here on the top left corner will turn on, wait five seconds then flip the right switch to transmit. The light indicator on the top left corner will indicate if the device is working. If the red light is solid, then its not sending, if its blinking then it is sending the signal. After that, just wait for the portal to appear."
Prendergast glances down at his watch, 6 pm.
"It's getting late, you all should get some rest before tomorrow. Breakfast is at 8. I will now show you to where you will be staying, your bags are already there. "
Prendergast heads back out the to the elevator, with the rest if the group following him into the elevator. He presses the 7th floor button, the elevator jerks into motion.
"When will we get to see the time machine?" Dr. Dells asks.
"Tomorrow, when we leave." Prendergast responds.
The elevator door opens up, reveling a long hallway, with doors both on the left and right. Prendergast walks to the end, there are a series of doors with the word Guest written on the front.
"You will be staying here; each Guest Quarters has a bathroom where you can wash up." Prendergast says as he opens one door to show them the small room.
Everyone then heads back out into the hallway and picks a room for themselves. Decker picks the room at the very end of the hallway. He opens the door and walks in. he finds his bag neatly placed at the foot of the bed. He opens it and finds everything where it should be. He walks into the small bathroom and finds everything one would expect: a toilet, sink, small shower, and towels and other small bathroom items. Decker walks back to the bed, places the bag on a near back chair and then lays down, contemplating what the following day would bring.