Primeval Fic: Convergence Part 1: The Threshold
Title: Convergence Part 1: The Threshold
Author: lucifersphoenix
Rating: M- Violence and Adult Themes (Becker in hospital)
Words: 3700
Characters: Becker, Sarah, Matt, Jess, Abby, Connor, Emily, Ethan
Pairing: I am actually not sure yet, possibly Becker/Matt or Becker/Sarah, except Abby/Connor and if you squint Becker/Emily and Becker/Jess (I couldn't help myself I turned Becker into a whore, not literally)
Warnings: Character pain (Becker man-pain), violence, descriptions of medical procedures
Spoilers: Season 4
Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval or it's characters and do not intend to make a profit(at least not until i work for them, mwhaha)
A/N: My first part of my convergence series. it is set after season 4 and is an alternative to season five (because i got sick of waiting). it contains complex relationships and I'm sorry but tones of Becker man-pain.
i think primeval_denial should have a Becker man-pain tag, I WANT THAT TAG!!!
Comments and reviews are loved.
Convergence
Part 1: The Threshold
“Hey Ethan!” Becker yelled as he ran towards them down the corridor.
Ethan seized Emily around her neck and forced her in front of him using her as shield against Becker.
Becker stopped and raised his EMD, training the barrel on him. “Or Patrick, or whatever your name is.”
He calmly gave him his option. “Lower your weapon slowly, and get down on the ground now.”
Ethan didn’t move he just stood there smiling as the sirens continued to echo in the dim corridor in the bowls of the ARC. Becker lost his patience.
“Now!” Without knowing it he showed his cards.
Ethan’s smile widened to a malevolent grin as he raised the barrel to Emily’s temple, his intentions clear. She struggled against his grip, but try as she might he held her tight. She begun to choke as the panic spread.
Becker made his decision. Emily could tell and shook her head but Becker’s hand had been forced. “Okay.” Taking a step back, he lowered his weapon and raised his hand. “Just don’t harm her, okay.”
“I won’t.” Ethan raised his EMD and fired.
Burning pain shot through Becker’s right side as he was flung against the wall. Releasing his grip on his weapon, he crumpled down to the floor and lay there. He struggled to rise as tremors racked his body. Patrick dragged Emily down the corridor by her throat. As he walked past he aimed the barrel at Becker and mercilessly pulled the trigger again. Everything went black.
Becker faded in and out of consciousness, his mind swirling. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t remember what had happened or where he was. The world around him seemed to be submerged in fluid, colour and light reeling. The voices were thick and slow.
“...shutting down...”
“...relieve the pressure...”
“... permanent damage if you...”
The light started to trickle away. He couldn’t fight, it was just too hard. It was drawing him in. He just let go and fell back into the darkness.
***
They sat in the vacant ward. It had been six hours since they’d brought him to the hospital. Immediately the doctors had rushed him into surgery. After four hours of erratic pacing around the anaemic room with no news there energy had finally left them and they settled down to do nothing.
Jess had taken up residence on one of the beds. She had said she’d only close her eyes for a second, but that had been two hours ago. Her colourful clothes were contrasting to the bed sheets. She would occasionally shiver or mutter something unidentifiable in her sleep.
Matt stood leaning against the wall, his right ankle crossed in front of the other. He had positioned himself just behind the door giving him a clear view of the empty corridor through the small wire meshed window. Every so often he would knock the back of his skull against the wall but he did so without tearing his gaze away from the hallway.
Abby sat in one of the provided plastic chairs. She had moved it close to the only light source in the space. The dim bedside lamp provided her with just enough light to read the book she was now inclined over. She held the book ‘The Day of the Triffids’ completely in her right hand, her thump holding the pages apart. The nail of the other thumb was almost none existent between her teeth.
Matt who was in the throughs of another head bang, suddenly stiffened and pushed himself off the wall. Abby looked up from the page and listened, but couldn’t hear anything.
“What is it?”
“I thought I heard footsteps.”
She dog-eared her page before placing it gently on the bedside table. Careful not to wake Jess, she stood up and moved over to Matt who had now opened the door to peek outside. The sounds finally reached Abby and she realised that indeed they were footsteps.
“Who is it?” she whispered. Matt held a finger to his mouth and gave her a stern look.
The footfalls now echoed around in the room. Jess finally woke up and without a word sat bolt upright. She had a questioning look on her face but Matt suppressed it with the same look he had given Abby. The origin of the sounds came around the corner and into the hallway. Now with a clear view Matt immediately relaxed.
“It’s only Connor.” A few seconds later he pushed open the door and walked in. In his fingerless gloves he carried four cups of coffee.
“I come bearing gifts.” Matt graciously took them out of his hands and carried them over to the table, passing one to Jess who carefully brought it to her lips. Connor looked down into Abby’s face.
“So, how’s Becker?”
“You would know if you’d been here.” Her response startled Connor, hurt twisting over his face.
“I’m sorry. I was working on something with Philip.”
“Working on something with Phillip, really? That’s your excuse for not being here while your friend fights for his life?”
Matt looked up at them but didn’t intervene.
“I’m really sorry, ok. I didn’t know until about...” he looked down at his watch “Twenty minutes ago.” Abby’s look of annoyance could have killed, but she said no more. Turning away from Connor she moved over to where Matt had placed the coffees and took one. She sat down on her seat and swung her legs over one of the arms, her demeanour was obvious.
Connor took the hint and stayed near the door. It was only another thirty seven minutes of silence before footsteps echoed down the hallway again.
***
Becker was running, running towards the remains of London central station, the air in his lungs leaving in great gasps. He wasn’t going to make it at this pace. The predators were descending down the walls of the crumpling buildings.
He jumped and slid across the bonnet of a rusty car. The metal was forced in a second later by a clawed hand. He made it to the entrance of the underground and leapt down the stairs, careful not to slip on the overgrown vines.
As his feet hit the pavement of the station, he spun around and fired his shotgun. The pellets sprayed the hairless hide of the beast and it fell down dead, but it was only one, others were coming. Spinning around again he sprinted towards the platform.
The platform was heavily eroded by water gushing in from a broken pipe in the ceiling. They were banks for the great rivers that now ran through the underground. Standing on the dry part of the platform, Becker scanned the shadows.”
“Sarah?”
“I’m over here.” Becker peered over to where he thought the sound had come from, catching sight of long dark straight hair. Quickly he moved to the edge of the platform and jumped across the turbulent water to reach the derailed train car. Standing up from her crouch, she turned to face him and asked the question.
“Did you find them?” His look on his face gave her the answers. She let out a groan of frustration.
“Where the hell are they?” Her question wasn’t aimed at anyone in particular.
“Sarah, we have to get out of here now.” Sarah looked at him puzzled.
“Predators are coming. We have to leave now!”
“We can’t leave them here again!”
“Sarah we have no other choice.” Her was argument was swiftly ended by the horrible sound of clicking.
Becker guided her through the carriage and into the next one. A look out the window confirmed his fears. Predators were crawling all over the place. Rummaging through his bag, he found what he was looking for. Gesturing to Sarah with his hands, he indicated there only route of escape.
“When I say so, run.”
He moved over to one of the windows. Becker cringed as it screeched in its frame before it lurched open. Sensing prey the creatures were immediately bashing against the outside of the train, claws grating on metal.
“Cover your ears!” He yelled as he threw the stun grenade. There was a loud bang and a bright flash followed by a chorus of shrieking growls.
“Run!” Grasping Sarah’s hand, he pulled her out of the carriage. They sprinted across the platform while the creatures writhed on the ground. They reached the base of the stairs just as the bloodthirsty beasts began to come round. Using the brittle railing for support, they climbed the perilous stairs, the rust rubbing off on their hands.
***
“What do you mean by ‘he might not ever wake up’?”
“Miss Maitland you have to realise, he has suffered a major myoneural affliction.”
Abby frustratingly raked her fingers through her hair. “For God’s sake, talk English!”
Matt gave her a disapproving look but she didn’t care, everyone was driving her mad. The doctor wasn’t impressed but he continued.
“We aren’t exactly sure what caused it, your government friends won’t give us any details.”
Matt finally said something. “Look, we’re sorry but we can’t tell you anything. If there was anything you needed to know we would have told you.”
The doctor took a breath, before grudgingly he started. “It appears that some kind of electrical shock has caused a huge muscular spasm. There were large contractions of muscles around vital nerve points.”
Abby lost her patience again. “Doctor, get to the point please.”
“Basically the nerves couldn’t handle it. We had to surgically remove some muscles fibres from around those vital points to relieve the pressure.”
Jess shifted uncomfortably next to Matt, her usually bright red cheeks had lost their entire colour.
“You cut pieces out of him?” Her tone was unexpectedly intolerable for someone of her usually kind demeanour.
“While he has lost some muscle mass, that’s not the problem, it’s the nerves. They have been destroyed or at the very least damaged, he is essentially paralysed.” He swallowed before continuing. “While some of his body is still functioning properly like his brain, his heart and lungs are not. We have had to put him on life support until further notice.” There was a long silence as they each thought of the implications. Matt was slightly ahead with the line of thought.
“What happens now?”
“The only thing that we can do now is wait. The rest is up to him.”
***
Their feet barely hit the ground as the Predators growled behind them. Sarah and Becker weaved between the decaying cars, their engines long since dead. Coming to an intersection, they immediately turned into the left street. They were almost there.
Instead of seeing the twinkling mass of light they so desired, Becker’s vision ahead was obstructed by a mountain of rubble. The beautiful building had once stood in the street proud, tall and admired by many. A victim of time it lay strewn across their path, broken down into its bare components. To Becker and Sarah it was now just an obstacle that could mean life or death. They didn’t stop when they reached it, they had no other choice.
Beginning to scramble up the steep rock face, Becker looked over his shoulder in time to see the grey monstrosities come around the corner and pause. He felt sick when their chirping calls reached his ears. It would only be a second before they knew where they were. Quickening his pace, he climbed up beside Sarah.
“Don’t look back!”
Terrified and distracted she lost her footing, screaming as she fell. Seizing her hand, His left arm screamed and threatened to rip itself from its socket. Becker couldn’t stop the gasp of pain from escaping his lips. She swung dangerously in mid-air threatening to dislodge Becker from his ledge. Sarah looked up and locked her eyes with Becker’s.
“Don’t you dare give me that look!” He yelled at her over the growls of the encroaching predators.
Tears welled in her eyes. “You can’t hold me forever!”
“I don’t plan too.” Tightening his grip, he started to pull her up. Blood began to trickle from between the fingers of his right hand, the brick cutting deep into the flesh of his palm. Their hands were sweaty but he didn’t let go until she was up alongside him. She was shaking violently but she managed a smile, one which he returned. A snarl from behind them caught their attention.
“We have to keep going.” Climbing the rest of the way to the top, they hauled themselves up and over the edge.
Standing up, they finally saw it. The bright pulsing light was orbited by numerous sparkling fragments giving it the appearance of a paused explosion. It was a stunning sight that often made Becker’s heart skip a beat, but there was no time for that now. They could already hear the predators scaling the ruins behind them.
Immediately they started the decent, thanking the lord that this side had a far gentler slope. The cement and brick shifted beneath their feet as they ran, it was a game of Russian roulette they had no choice but to play. It paid off and in a few seconds they were on the asphalt again.
Roars echoed around the street. Looking back Becker saw seven of them perched atop the precipice, their ugly maws full of needle sharp teeth. One crouched and sprung a good twenty metres straight onto the road, the others following soon after. They were getting too close.
“Sarah, over there, now!” he said pointing to the car. She nodded and quickened her pace. Becker took a deep breath, falling back he let Sarah’s stride out lengthen his. She had opened the car door and climbed in before she realised what he was doing. He slammed the door behind her and held it closed.
“Don’t do this, Becker!” She yelled at him as she hit against the glass.
“Listen to me Sarah! Stay here and be quiet. Please for my sake.” She paused for a second before she finally nodded.
Moving away from the car, the lead predator approached him. The hairless ape like creature walked on all fours circling him, looking him up and down with its eyeless skull. It was sizing him up and Becker wasn’t going to let this opportunity go by. Lifting his shotgun he fired. One down, six to go.
“Come on!”
They clicked and chirped at each other before they began to fan out around him. He aimed his shotgun again but this time they were ready. They were out of sight before he could blink. Slowly he moved onto the footpath, slinging the gun over his shoulder he pulled out his pistols.
“Come on you bastards, come get me!”
Immediately a menacing bark came from above. He didn’t even think, he dived and twisted landing on his back in time to empty an entire magazine from each pistol into the creature. It croaked a growl before it fell over on its side and didn’t move again but another was already stalking over its corpse towards him.
Putting his hands behind his shoulders, he pushed off the ground and threw his legs over his head, flipping himself into a kneeling position. Dropping the empty magazines on the ground, he in one motion replaced them with the ones on his belt. The monster raised its clawed hand and slashed at him, knocking the weapon from his left hand. Placing his vacant palm over the handle of his remaining weapon, he fired.
The beast gave a bloodcurdling screech as it clawed at its chest trying to rip out the bullets imbedded there. Tipping backwards the screech came to an end with a gurgle and it fell heavily on top of its dead counterpart, the grey mass a tangle of gangly limbs.
His jarred back ached as he climbed up off his knees. Taking a few hesitant steps, he began to scan the silent street. His gaze came to a stop on Sarah’s little shelter. Waving her hands erratically she mouthed words at him which Becker was finding difficult to understand. Raising an eyebrow at her, she responded by pointing further down the street. Finally his brain linked the motion with a sentence.
Turn around.
Keeping his movement to a minimum he turned his head slightly. In his peripheral vision, the predator was fifty metres down the footpath, not moving a muscle. It just stood there, calculating. A cold sweat broke out on Becker’s forehead, a miniscule bead running down the bridge of his nose. Teetering at the tip of his nose, it finally dislodged and fell, splattering on the dry surface.
The predator exploded into motion a fraction of a second after Becker did. Sprinting down the footpath he could hear it gaining on him, its footfalls getting louder far too quickly. His heart thumping in his chest, he saw an opportunity.
Without stopping he clutched the signpost with his spare hand, propelling himself around to face the oncoming threat. Becker pulled the trigger and the gun ejected a bullet with a smooth clunk, pulling the trigger again though brought no response.
The predator stumbled then fell, skidding along the ground, streaking the cement with flesh before coming to a complete stop at Becker’s feet. Body fluids seeped from a wound in the middle of its face. His breath catching in his throat, Becker staggered back. Feeling sick, he placed is hands on his knees, trying to calm his stomach. Screaming immediately caught his attention.
The two predators were crawling over the car like massive repulsive cockroaches, searching for a hole in its metallic exterior. One was on the bonnet smashing through the windscreen, grasping hands reaching for Sarah. The other was pushing against the only door that wasn’t jammed in its frame. Sarah screamed again as the one at the door attempted to break the window with its thick skull. His heart leaping out of his chest, Becker took off at a run quickly closing the distance.
“Sarah!”
“Becker!” Her tone was fearful. Tearing at his insides it blocked out all other thoughts. His entire body was telling him to get to her. His emotions had pushed away the obvious.
The third predator pounced from a dark alleyway, its clawed hands outstretched in front of it. Pinning him down, it went to slash at his throat. He kicked up with his heavy boot, impacting on its jaw. The predator paused in surprise at the tiny little mouthful fighting back. Still holding down Becker’s right arm it went to finish him off. Becker pulled the trigger.
The bullet shattered the abandoned shop window, sending glass cascading to the ground. The predator reared up, scratching at the pain in its brain, its sense of echolocation overwhelming. It thrashed around, lashing out at everything in proximity. Becker wasn’t fast enough and he was thrown by a stray arm across the street. He felt no pain but he heard the sickening sound of bones breaking as he hit the wall.
“Becker!”
The scream mixed with a low buzz as the light instantly faded.
***
Becker’s comatose body rested on the bed in the private recovery room. His form had been removed of all clothing except for a pair of pale green scrub pants that had been cut off at the upper thigh. Though he was void of most clothing very little skin was showing. Large swaths of bandages covered his sun kissed skin where the doctors had had to make deep incisions.
Every four hours consecutively, the nurses would come in drive out all those present to replace his dressings. The cut off scrub pants while medically unconventional were practical for his continued treatment. The usual twenty minute procedure was reduced to a mere ten.
Matt thanked the lord that that was the case as again he walked back into the room. He immediately took his position in the watch chair. Staring at the bleached lino peeling away from the skirting board, he began to phase out.
Their jobs at the ARC had been quiet, in the context that they hadn’t had an anomaly like the one at the prison, but they had still needed all hands on deck. Lester had however suggested that they could spare one.
So they’d had setup shifts and for the last eight weeks they had each taken their turn at sitting at Becker’s bedside. Of all the other chairs in the room, none of them had bothered to swap them. The single most worn chair in the room, it was still the most comfortable. Connor had affectionately nicknamed it “The Watch Chair”. Matt had flat-out refused to get attached to the inanimate object but after hours of sitting in it, it could not be helped. Pulling himself back to reality, Matt looked over at Becker’s battered body.
A chaos of tubes protruded from multiple places on his upper body. The ugly tubes were connected to just as unappealing contraptions. Matt knew that the device that sat on the wheeled table was the life support machine. It was all that was keeping Becker alive, but that didn’t stop him from having an extreme aversion for it. One awfully large tube that had been shoved unceremoniously down his throat was another example of this. He just wanted to rip it out.
The coma had taken its toll on the once strong sturdy body. Ever since the surgery his condition had declined, his body sacrificing everything in a case of all or nothing. It was a fight he realised, his friend was losing. The sight of Becker so weak and so vulnerable made his gut turn over.
He just wanted his suffering and pain to end. He clasped Becker’s hand in his own, squeezing it tenderly. Feeling no return pressure, tears welled up in his eyes. Bringing his hand up to his lips he kissed the back of Becker’s hand.
“You know, I’d understand, whatever choice you make.”
***
(Part 2)
Author: lucifersphoenix
Rating: M- Violence and Adult Themes (Becker in hospital)
Words: 3700
Characters: Becker, Sarah, Matt, Jess, Abby, Connor, Emily, Ethan
Pairing: I am actually not sure yet, possibly Becker/Matt or Becker/Sarah, except Abby/Connor and if you squint Becker/Emily and Becker/Jess (I couldn't help myself I turned Becker into a whore, not literally)
Warnings: Character pain (Becker man-pain), violence, descriptions of medical procedures
Spoilers: Season 4
Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval or it's characters and do not intend to make a profit(at least not until i work for them, mwhaha)
A/N: My first part of my convergence series. it is set after season 4 and is an alternative to season five (because i got sick of waiting). it contains complex relationships and I'm sorry but tones of Becker man-pain.
i think primeval_denial should have a Becker man-pain tag, I WANT THAT TAG!!!
Comments and reviews are loved.
Convergence
Part 1: The Threshold
“Hey Ethan!” Becker yelled as he ran towards them down the corridor.
Ethan seized Emily around her neck and forced her in front of him using her as shield against Becker.
Becker stopped and raised his EMD, training the barrel on him. “Or Patrick, or whatever your name is.”
He calmly gave him his option. “Lower your weapon slowly, and get down on the ground now.”
Ethan didn’t move he just stood there smiling as the sirens continued to echo in the dim corridor in the bowls of the ARC. Becker lost his patience.
“Now!” Without knowing it he showed his cards.
Ethan’s smile widened to a malevolent grin as he raised the barrel to Emily’s temple, his intentions clear. She struggled against his grip, but try as she might he held her tight. She begun to choke as the panic spread.
Becker made his decision. Emily could tell and shook her head but Becker’s hand had been forced. “Okay.” Taking a step back, he lowered his weapon and raised his hand. “Just don’t harm her, okay.”
“I won’t.” Ethan raised his EMD and fired.
Burning pain shot through Becker’s right side as he was flung against the wall. Releasing his grip on his weapon, he crumpled down to the floor and lay there. He struggled to rise as tremors racked his body. Patrick dragged Emily down the corridor by her throat. As he walked past he aimed the barrel at Becker and mercilessly pulled the trigger again. Everything went black.
Becker faded in and out of consciousness, his mind swirling. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t remember what had happened or where he was. The world around him seemed to be submerged in fluid, colour and light reeling. The voices were thick and slow.
“...shutting down...”
“...relieve the pressure...”
“... permanent damage if you...”
The light started to trickle away. He couldn’t fight, it was just too hard. It was drawing him in. He just let go and fell back into the darkness.
***
They sat in the vacant ward. It had been six hours since they’d brought him to the hospital. Immediately the doctors had rushed him into surgery. After four hours of erratic pacing around the anaemic room with no news there energy had finally left them and they settled down to do nothing.
Jess had taken up residence on one of the beds. She had said she’d only close her eyes for a second, but that had been two hours ago. Her colourful clothes were contrasting to the bed sheets. She would occasionally shiver or mutter something unidentifiable in her sleep.
Matt stood leaning against the wall, his right ankle crossed in front of the other. He had positioned himself just behind the door giving him a clear view of the empty corridor through the small wire meshed window. Every so often he would knock the back of his skull against the wall but he did so without tearing his gaze away from the hallway.
Abby sat in one of the provided plastic chairs. She had moved it close to the only light source in the space. The dim bedside lamp provided her with just enough light to read the book she was now inclined over. She held the book ‘The Day of the Triffids’ completely in her right hand, her thump holding the pages apart. The nail of the other thumb was almost none existent between her teeth.
Matt who was in the throughs of another head bang, suddenly stiffened and pushed himself off the wall. Abby looked up from the page and listened, but couldn’t hear anything.
“What is it?”
“I thought I heard footsteps.”
She dog-eared her page before placing it gently on the bedside table. Careful not to wake Jess, she stood up and moved over to Matt who had now opened the door to peek outside. The sounds finally reached Abby and she realised that indeed they were footsteps.
“Who is it?” she whispered. Matt held a finger to his mouth and gave her a stern look.
The footfalls now echoed around in the room. Jess finally woke up and without a word sat bolt upright. She had a questioning look on her face but Matt suppressed it with the same look he had given Abby. The origin of the sounds came around the corner and into the hallway. Now with a clear view Matt immediately relaxed.
“It’s only Connor.” A few seconds later he pushed open the door and walked in. In his fingerless gloves he carried four cups of coffee.
“I come bearing gifts.” Matt graciously took them out of his hands and carried them over to the table, passing one to Jess who carefully brought it to her lips. Connor looked down into Abby’s face.
“So, how’s Becker?”
“You would know if you’d been here.” Her response startled Connor, hurt twisting over his face.
“I’m sorry. I was working on something with Philip.”
“Working on something with Phillip, really? That’s your excuse for not being here while your friend fights for his life?”
Matt looked up at them but didn’t intervene.
“I’m really sorry, ok. I didn’t know until about...” he looked down at his watch “Twenty minutes ago.” Abby’s look of annoyance could have killed, but she said no more. Turning away from Connor she moved over to where Matt had placed the coffees and took one. She sat down on her seat and swung her legs over one of the arms, her demeanour was obvious.
Connor took the hint and stayed near the door. It was only another thirty seven minutes of silence before footsteps echoed down the hallway again.
***
Becker was running, running towards the remains of London central station, the air in his lungs leaving in great gasps. He wasn’t going to make it at this pace. The predators were descending down the walls of the crumpling buildings.
He jumped and slid across the bonnet of a rusty car. The metal was forced in a second later by a clawed hand. He made it to the entrance of the underground and leapt down the stairs, careful not to slip on the overgrown vines.
As his feet hit the pavement of the station, he spun around and fired his shotgun. The pellets sprayed the hairless hide of the beast and it fell down dead, but it was only one, others were coming. Spinning around again he sprinted towards the platform.
The platform was heavily eroded by water gushing in from a broken pipe in the ceiling. They were banks for the great rivers that now ran through the underground. Standing on the dry part of the platform, Becker scanned the shadows.”
“Sarah?”
“I’m over here.” Becker peered over to where he thought the sound had come from, catching sight of long dark straight hair. Quickly he moved to the edge of the platform and jumped across the turbulent water to reach the derailed train car. Standing up from her crouch, she turned to face him and asked the question.
“Did you find them?” His look on his face gave her the answers. She let out a groan of frustration.
“Where the hell are they?” Her question wasn’t aimed at anyone in particular.
“Sarah, we have to get out of here now.” Sarah looked at him puzzled.
“Predators are coming. We have to leave now!”
“We can’t leave them here again!”
“Sarah we have no other choice.” Her was argument was swiftly ended by the horrible sound of clicking.
Becker guided her through the carriage and into the next one. A look out the window confirmed his fears. Predators were crawling all over the place. Rummaging through his bag, he found what he was looking for. Gesturing to Sarah with his hands, he indicated there only route of escape.
“When I say so, run.”
He moved over to one of the windows. Becker cringed as it screeched in its frame before it lurched open. Sensing prey the creatures were immediately bashing against the outside of the train, claws grating on metal.
“Cover your ears!” He yelled as he threw the stun grenade. There was a loud bang and a bright flash followed by a chorus of shrieking growls.
“Run!” Grasping Sarah’s hand, he pulled her out of the carriage. They sprinted across the platform while the creatures writhed on the ground. They reached the base of the stairs just as the bloodthirsty beasts began to come round. Using the brittle railing for support, they climbed the perilous stairs, the rust rubbing off on their hands.
***
“What do you mean by ‘he might not ever wake up’?”
“Miss Maitland you have to realise, he has suffered a major myoneural affliction.”
Abby frustratingly raked her fingers through her hair. “For God’s sake, talk English!”
Matt gave her a disapproving look but she didn’t care, everyone was driving her mad. The doctor wasn’t impressed but he continued.
“We aren’t exactly sure what caused it, your government friends won’t give us any details.”
Matt finally said something. “Look, we’re sorry but we can’t tell you anything. If there was anything you needed to know we would have told you.”
The doctor took a breath, before grudgingly he started. “It appears that some kind of electrical shock has caused a huge muscular spasm. There were large contractions of muscles around vital nerve points.”
Abby lost her patience again. “Doctor, get to the point please.”
“Basically the nerves couldn’t handle it. We had to surgically remove some muscles fibres from around those vital points to relieve the pressure.”
Jess shifted uncomfortably next to Matt, her usually bright red cheeks had lost their entire colour.
“You cut pieces out of him?” Her tone was unexpectedly intolerable for someone of her usually kind demeanour.
“While he has lost some muscle mass, that’s not the problem, it’s the nerves. They have been destroyed or at the very least damaged, he is essentially paralysed.” He swallowed before continuing. “While some of his body is still functioning properly like his brain, his heart and lungs are not. We have had to put him on life support until further notice.” There was a long silence as they each thought of the implications. Matt was slightly ahead with the line of thought.
“What happens now?”
“The only thing that we can do now is wait. The rest is up to him.”
***
Their feet barely hit the ground as the Predators growled behind them. Sarah and Becker weaved between the decaying cars, their engines long since dead. Coming to an intersection, they immediately turned into the left street. They were almost there.
Instead of seeing the twinkling mass of light they so desired, Becker’s vision ahead was obstructed by a mountain of rubble. The beautiful building had once stood in the street proud, tall and admired by many. A victim of time it lay strewn across their path, broken down into its bare components. To Becker and Sarah it was now just an obstacle that could mean life or death. They didn’t stop when they reached it, they had no other choice.
Beginning to scramble up the steep rock face, Becker looked over his shoulder in time to see the grey monstrosities come around the corner and pause. He felt sick when their chirping calls reached his ears. It would only be a second before they knew where they were. Quickening his pace, he climbed up beside Sarah.
“Don’t look back!”
Terrified and distracted she lost her footing, screaming as she fell. Seizing her hand, His left arm screamed and threatened to rip itself from its socket. Becker couldn’t stop the gasp of pain from escaping his lips. She swung dangerously in mid-air threatening to dislodge Becker from his ledge. Sarah looked up and locked her eyes with Becker’s.
“Don’t you dare give me that look!” He yelled at her over the growls of the encroaching predators.
Tears welled in her eyes. “You can’t hold me forever!”
“I don’t plan too.” Tightening his grip, he started to pull her up. Blood began to trickle from between the fingers of his right hand, the brick cutting deep into the flesh of his palm. Their hands were sweaty but he didn’t let go until she was up alongside him. She was shaking violently but she managed a smile, one which he returned. A snarl from behind them caught their attention.
“We have to keep going.” Climbing the rest of the way to the top, they hauled themselves up and over the edge.
Standing up, they finally saw it. The bright pulsing light was orbited by numerous sparkling fragments giving it the appearance of a paused explosion. It was a stunning sight that often made Becker’s heart skip a beat, but there was no time for that now. They could already hear the predators scaling the ruins behind them.
Immediately they started the decent, thanking the lord that this side had a far gentler slope. The cement and brick shifted beneath their feet as they ran, it was a game of Russian roulette they had no choice but to play. It paid off and in a few seconds they were on the asphalt again.
Roars echoed around the street. Looking back Becker saw seven of them perched atop the precipice, their ugly maws full of needle sharp teeth. One crouched and sprung a good twenty metres straight onto the road, the others following soon after. They were getting too close.
“Sarah, over there, now!” he said pointing to the car. She nodded and quickened her pace. Becker took a deep breath, falling back he let Sarah’s stride out lengthen his. She had opened the car door and climbed in before she realised what he was doing. He slammed the door behind her and held it closed.
“Don’t do this, Becker!” She yelled at him as she hit against the glass.
“Listen to me Sarah! Stay here and be quiet. Please for my sake.” She paused for a second before she finally nodded.
Moving away from the car, the lead predator approached him. The hairless ape like creature walked on all fours circling him, looking him up and down with its eyeless skull. It was sizing him up and Becker wasn’t going to let this opportunity go by. Lifting his shotgun he fired. One down, six to go.
“Come on!”
They clicked and chirped at each other before they began to fan out around him. He aimed his shotgun again but this time they were ready. They were out of sight before he could blink. Slowly he moved onto the footpath, slinging the gun over his shoulder he pulled out his pistols.
“Come on you bastards, come get me!”
Immediately a menacing bark came from above. He didn’t even think, he dived and twisted landing on his back in time to empty an entire magazine from each pistol into the creature. It croaked a growl before it fell over on its side and didn’t move again but another was already stalking over its corpse towards him.
Putting his hands behind his shoulders, he pushed off the ground and threw his legs over his head, flipping himself into a kneeling position. Dropping the empty magazines on the ground, he in one motion replaced them with the ones on his belt. The monster raised its clawed hand and slashed at him, knocking the weapon from his left hand. Placing his vacant palm over the handle of his remaining weapon, he fired.
The beast gave a bloodcurdling screech as it clawed at its chest trying to rip out the bullets imbedded there. Tipping backwards the screech came to an end with a gurgle and it fell heavily on top of its dead counterpart, the grey mass a tangle of gangly limbs.
His jarred back ached as he climbed up off his knees. Taking a few hesitant steps, he began to scan the silent street. His gaze came to a stop on Sarah’s little shelter. Waving her hands erratically she mouthed words at him which Becker was finding difficult to understand. Raising an eyebrow at her, she responded by pointing further down the street. Finally his brain linked the motion with a sentence.
Turn around.
Keeping his movement to a minimum he turned his head slightly. In his peripheral vision, the predator was fifty metres down the footpath, not moving a muscle. It just stood there, calculating. A cold sweat broke out on Becker’s forehead, a miniscule bead running down the bridge of his nose. Teetering at the tip of his nose, it finally dislodged and fell, splattering on the dry surface.
The predator exploded into motion a fraction of a second after Becker did. Sprinting down the footpath he could hear it gaining on him, its footfalls getting louder far too quickly. His heart thumping in his chest, he saw an opportunity.
Without stopping he clutched the signpost with his spare hand, propelling himself around to face the oncoming threat. Becker pulled the trigger and the gun ejected a bullet with a smooth clunk, pulling the trigger again though brought no response.
The predator stumbled then fell, skidding along the ground, streaking the cement with flesh before coming to a complete stop at Becker’s feet. Body fluids seeped from a wound in the middle of its face. His breath catching in his throat, Becker staggered back. Feeling sick, he placed is hands on his knees, trying to calm his stomach. Screaming immediately caught his attention.
The two predators were crawling over the car like massive repulsive cockroaches, searching for a hole in its metallic exterior. One was on the bonnet smashing through the windscreen, grasping hands reaching for Sarah. The other was pushing against the only door that wasn’t jammed in its frame. Sarah screamed again as the one at the door attempted to break the window with its thick skull. His heart leaping out of his chest, Becker took off at a run quickly closing the distance.
“Sarah!”
“Becker!” Her tone was fearful. Tearing at his insides it blocked out all other thoughts. His entire body was telling him to get to her. His emotions had pushed away the obvious.
The third predator pounced from a dark alleyway, its clawed hands outstretched in front of it. Pinning him down, it went to slash at his throat. He kicked up with his heavy boot, impacting on its jaw. The predator paused in surprise at the tiny little mouthful fighting back. Still holding down Becker’s right arm it went to finish him off. Becker pulled the trigger.
The bullet shattered the abandoned shop window, sending glass cascading to the ground. The predator reared up, scratching at the pain in its brain, its sense of echolocation overwhelming. It thrashed around, lashing out at everything in proximity. Becker wasn’t fast enough and he was thrown by a stray arm across the street. He felt no pain but he heard the sickening sound of bones breaking as he hit the wall.
“Becker!”
The scream mixed with a low buzz as the light instantly faded.
***
Becker’s comatose body rested on the bed in the private recovery room. His form had been removed of all clothing except for a pair of pale green scrub pants that had been cut off at the upper thigh. Though he was void of most clothing very little skin was showing. Large swaths of bandages covered his sun kissed skin where the doctors had had to make deep incisions.
Every four hours consecutively, the nurses would come in drive out all those present to replace his dressings. The cut off scrub pants while medically unconventional were practical for his continued treatment. The usual twenty minute procedure was reduced to a mere ten.
Matt thanked the lord that that was the case as again he walked back into the room. He immediately took his position in the watch chair. Staring at the bleached lino peeling away from the skirting board, he began to phase out.
Their jobs at the ARC had been quiet, in the context that they hadn’t had an anomaly like the one at the prison, but they had still needed all hands on deck. Lester had however suggested that they could spare one.
So they’d had setup shifts and for the last eight weeks they had each taken their turn at sitting at Becker’s bedside. Of all the other chairs in the room, none of them had bothered to swap them. The single most worn chair in the room, it was still the most comfortable. Connor had affectionately nicknamed it “The Watch Chair”. Matt had flat-out refused to get attached to the inanimate object but after hours of sitting in it, it could not be helped. Pulling himself back to reality, Matt looked over at Becker’s battered body.
A chaos of tubes protruded from multiple places on his upper body. The ugly tubes were connected to just as unappealing contraptions. Matt knew that the device that sat on the wheeled table was the life support machine. It was all that was keeping Becker alive, but that didn’t stop him from having an extreme aversion for it. One awfully large tube that had been shoved unceremoniously down his throat was another example of this. He just wanted to rip it out.
The coma had taken its toll on the once strong sturdy body. Ever since the surgery his condition had declined, his body sacrificing everything in a case of all or nothing. It was a fight he realised, his friend was losing. The sight of Becker so weak and so vulnerable made his gut turn over.
He just wanted his suffering and pain to end. He clasped Becker’s hand in his own, squeezing it tenderly. Feeling no return pressure, tears welled up in his eyes. Bringing his hand up to his lips he kissed the back of Becker’s hand.
“You know, I’d understand, whatever choice you make.”
***
(Part 2)