unfortunate ➸ primeval

Chapter 3

Claudia's call - whoever she had talked to the night previously - had worked. The next morning, what could only be described as army men in black uniforms carried metal boxes containing countless things. The exact details Clara didn't know. She herself was sat on one of the small stacks of metal boxes, brown eyes scanning Connor and Cutter as they surveyed the anomaly. That was what they had decided to call it, as that was exactly what it was; an anomaly in time.

"Here you go," Stephen said, handing her a mug of steaming hot chocolate. Clara smiled into her mug; Stephen was one of the few people who knew of her small addiction to hot chocolate.

"Thanks," she sighed.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, sipping from his own mug of tea.

"Confused, mainly," Clara admitted, taking a sip of hot chocolate. "But also very intrigued, and slightly exhilarated."

Stephen smirked. "You put my feelings into words."

Clara watched as Connor's metal pen got sucked into the anomaly, much to his amusement.

"A strong magnetic field," she mumbled under her breath, as she imagined Nick would be telling Connor right at that very moment.

"Do you think anything else will come through?" Abby questioned, joining the pair on the stack of boxes.

"I hope not," Stephen grimaced. "God knows what could be through there."

Clara stood up, leaving Abby and Stephen to talk about the little lizard, Rex. She joined Cutter and Claudia instead, listening to their conversation.

"From what I've gathered from the animals so far, their behaviour is almost identical to that of vertebrates in the Cretaceous period hundreds of millions of years ago," he explained.

"So, you're saying these are like creatures from the past?" Claudia frowned.

"No," Clara intervened. Cutter turned to her and smirked proudly. "He's saying they are creatures from the past."

"Cutter, we have to go to the Home Office now," Claudia sighed, flicking her wrist so she could check the time on what looked like a very expensive wristwatch. "I've stalled to my boss long enough. Let's go. Bring who you wish." She walked over to one of the black SUVs and began to speak with the captain of the men in the black uniforms.

Nick couldn't stop staring at the anomaly, and Clara let out a breath of air, standing next to him. "Are you thinking about Helen?"

Cutter grimaced. "It explains everything, Clara."

"Except why she didn't come back," she pointed out.

Finally, Cutter turned away. "Right, I have to go. I'm going to take Abby to the Home Office with me. I want you and Stephen to take Connor and keep investigating the forest. The thing that killed that cow has got to be around this area somewhere - or has at least left a trail."

"Okay," Clara nodded in confirmation. She watched as Cutter walked away, but then turned back around, this time walking backwards.

"Oh, and Clara!" He called. "Be careful." She nodded again.

Stephen approached Clara, just as Connor managed to send his front door key through the anomaly. "Where are they going?" He questioned, blue eyes watching the black SUV drive away.

"The Home Office," she told him. "I don't know why. I just hope they don't get brainwashed."

"Careful, Clara," Stephen warned, fondness and amusement evident in his tone. "You're starting to sound like Conspiracy-Connor over there."