unfortunate ➸ primeval

Chapter 5

"This," Clara began on Nick's behalf, "is a 3D model, representing all known anomalies throughout history." Jenny looked at it warily as she entered the room further.

"All cultures have their own mythical beasts," Sarah elaborated. "Like, the Loch Ness Monster."

"My guess is that where there's a myth, we'll find an anomaly," Nick finished. "Now, all we have to do is date these myths accurately."

"Like a road map," Connor nodded along. "Of time."

"Then we can start to predict," Nick continued, grabbing another metal pole and expertly sliding it into place amongst the others. "Where and when new anomalies might start to open."

"Call me stupid, but, um, couldn't we have done all this on a computer?" Jenny pointed out, dark eyebrows raised.

"This way is more tangible," Nick commented, his attention focused on the metal pole he was putting into place.

"Makes him feel more like God," Clara supplied with a smirk. "You know, with the creation thing." Jenny nodded, returning Clara's smirk.

"Yeah, Clara, you might be right," Nick said seriously, standing up again. She looked to him in surprise. "Because unless I'm very much mistaken, I think we may have made our first prediction." The four of them gathered round the matrix, and Nick, to peer at his first prediction curiously.

——

About half an hour later, Clara was sat at her desk in the main room on her laptop, filling in various charts and swinging her legs to the music spilling into her ears from her headphones. She pulled them out, however, when the doors flung open and Nick and Sarah strode in. Abby and Connor also looked up from their desks, while Jenny and Becker cut their conversation short.

"Alright, listen up!" Nick called, gaining everyone's attention that he needed. "We've analysed the most recent anomalies and put them into the model. The prediction is specific and local, but there's a problem. It could happen tomorrow; it could happen many years from now. I want you to go and check it out," he bobbed his head towards Jenny and Clara, "and take. . ." his eyes then fell on Abby and Connor, "Sid and Nancy with you." The pair of them looked at each other in offended confusion before peering at themselves. Clara smiled at the sight.

"Um, I'll go too," Sarah decided.

"No," Nick shook his head. "I need you here." Sarah's face fell.

"I should handle this," Becker intervened.

"No, no, Cutter's right, we'll go," Jenny sighed.

"Anything happens, you call me," his words were directed at both Jenny and Clara, and both women knew he was deadly serious. He then turned and strode back through the doors. "Sarah!" He beckoned.

"Help," Sarah whispered in a mock-scared voice. "I've been taken hostage by a mad scientist!"

"Welcome to our world!" Connor chimed as he gathered his things, causing Sarah to smile before she left.

Taking two cars, Connor and Jenny in one car and Abby and Clara in the other, they followed Cutter's co-ordinates to where he predicted the anomaly to be, and pulled up at the end of a rickety bridge. Exchanging a glance, the four of them walked towards it, Connor pulling out his detector as they did so. It beeped, indicating that they were there.

"This is the place," he confirmed, gesturing to what lay before them.

It was an abandoned house, which must have looked magnificent in its prime, but had now been subject to the overpowering force of nature. The garden was overgrown and the wood of the house was beginning to fade and grow old. Even so, it still looked pretty impressive.