A Momentary Lapse Of Reason

The Man In The Tan Jacket

Summary: One of the team members delivers bad news, Carlos investigates the Man in the Tan Jacket and the scientists are reunited.

Note: So my friend Emily who has occasionally beta'd me on this made a freaking PLAYLIST for this fic! Do check it out :) pippinsqueaks.tumblr.com/post/98155840560/so-the-wonderful-chalmskinn-aka-my-wifey-emily

The sound of the telephone filled Natalia with excitement, which was incredible considering how long they had stayed awake the previous night. It would seem Carlos liked to watch 'The Breakfast Club' and eat pancakes with piles of maple syrup on New Year's made using a bunsen burner. Go figure.

She answered it enthusiastically. "Hello?"

"Miss Johnson?"

"PEREZ!" She squealed down the phone.

"Um....hello again. May I speak to Dr Valdez? It is of importance." He sounded solemn.

"I-okay. Carlos!"

A muffled shout came from the lab next door. "What?"

"Phone!"

"Not now!"

"It's important!"

"Tell Cecil he's thanked me for his Christmas present too many times now and he needs to stop!"

Natalia could practically hear Perez sniggering down the phone.

"It's not him! It's Edwardo!"

"Huh? OWW!" The sound of a scream and an explosion followed, before a frazzled Carlos exited the lab, his eyebrows smoking slightly and the tips of his hair singed.

"Edwardo, hey." He said, taking the phone from a now laughing hysterically Natalia. The raven-haired girl was in fits and whipped out her phone to take a picture of him.

"Natalia, stop! Sorry, Edwardo, what did you want to tell me?......oh.........of course I understand.....yes, of course, please give her our love......no, don't worry.......phone when there's news.....yeah......yes......okay, speak to you soon....goodbye." He hung up.

"What's wrong?" Natalia inquired, her happy expression faded.

"Perez's sister Gabriella is very sick. He thinks that she'll be okay, but he needs to look after his niece while she's in the hospital, so he doesn't know when he'll be able to come back."

"Oh geez." Natalia said.

"He's going to call the others now."

"Speaking of which, Jeffries and Ellie should be here by tonight. They decided to leave earlier and texted me. Brent's driving because Ellie's a little hungover."

Carlos smiled a little. Ellie's family had a tradition of a massive party on New Year's. He was more than surprised that she would be back so soon.

"Maybe we should go out, celebrate." Natalia suggested. "When I spoke to Old Woman Josie the other week, she mentioned that she wanted to go bowling with some people. Should I call her?"

"If you like. I'm terrible at bowling, but why not?"

Natalia grinned and dialled a new number as the dishevelled Carlos went back into the lab.

"Hey, Josie, it's intern Johnson working with Carlos...."

~

Carlos stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his midsection. He looked in the bathroom mirror which was oozing a strange black goo. He'd have to look at that later.