Shades of Grey - Prologue
Title: Shades of Grey (Prologue)
Author: TalliW
Characters: Stephen Hart, Tom Ryan, Nick Cutter, James Lester, Abby Maitland, Connor Temple, Jenny Lewis, Oliver Leek, Lyle, Finn, Helen Cutter.
Rating: K+, T in later chapters
T Disclaimer: Primeval is the property of Impossible Pictures. I write just for fun.
Lyle and Finn belong to Fredbassett.
Acknowledgments: Thanks to the wonderful Fredbassett for beta duty.
Summary: Ryan has survived but he isn't the man he was. Can Stephen and Cutter manage to work together to help him? Perhaps Ryan has changed in more ways than it appears on first sight.
AN: This is a sort of a fixit-story to bring back our badly missed Captain Ryan. It's set at the start of season two after Cutter has already met Jenny Lewis. It deals mainly with the relations between Stephen, Ryan and Cutter, albeit in a slightly unusual way.
And this is also my attempt at Helen's explanation that everything starts in the ARC and Cutter is responsible. So there is a touch of disaster!fic at the end. No animals or humans are killed in this fic though.
This story is dedicated to Lukadreaming as a very belated birthday present. I'm sorry it took me so long.
I probably should start right away on your next birthday fic.;)
Prologue
The four Diictodons scuttled over the small hill. It was their first trip without the protecting presence of their parents and they enjoyed their freedom. Playfully, they chased each other in the warm midday sun of the Late Permian and nibbled at the tasty roots of the bushes and trees.
At this time of day the dangerous predators were hunting near the lake, far away from this place, so the little animals felt safe.
The attack was so unexpected the little Diictodon was paralysed with fear. Without mercy the claw closed around its hind leg and pulled it backwards.
As the sharp nails dug into its skin, the Diictodon screeched desperately and fought against the vicious clutch. Abruptly the grip loosened.
Quickly the frightened animal hurried away from the place where the most dangerous creature of the earth started to rise out of the sandy soil.
They had been instantly alarmed when the anomaly detector announced the re-opening of an anomaly in the Forest of Dean. Lester had even canceled a meeting to accompany them to the clearing.
Cutter and Stephen looked grim and the soldiers were prepared to welcome Helen or any other predator, who might step through the anomaly, with the muzzles of their rifles.
But the terrifying creature, covered in dirt and dried blood, now staggering out from the glittering shards, froze everyone in place.
"Oh my God," whispered Abby and squeezed Connor's arm in horror as the creature collapsed only a few metres away from them on the ground.
In the fading light of the anomaly they stared at the now rather pathetic figure, lying in a heap on the fresh forest grass, and couldn't believe their eyes. Professor Cutter had said he had buried this man two weeks ago in the Permian.
Then the screaming started, a high-pitched sound which made everyone's hair stand on end.
Nearly blinded by his upwelling tears, Stephen knelt down beside Ryan and soothingly stroked his cheek. Cutter sank down on the other side, his fingers tentatively touching Ryan's hand.
The screaming never stopped. Not even when the medics arrived and strapped Ryan on a stretcher after pumping him as full of sedatives as they dared to risk for now, and not in the emergency ambulance on the way to the hospital. Even as he was rolled into the emergency room, Ryan was still screaming.
And Stephen felt like screaming too.