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fredbassettTitle : Through Fire and Smoke
Author : fredbassett
Fandom : Primeval
Rating : 12
Characters : Jenny, Nick, Connor, Becker, Lester
Disclaimer : Not mine, no money made, don’t sue.
Spoilers : 3.3
Word Count : 100 x 12 = 1,200
Summary : Jenny follows Nick back into the ruins of the ARC.
A/N : Written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
reggietate’s birthday. I hope you have a lovely day!
The sound of another explosion somewhere deep in the building caused the onlookers to flinch and draw back.
Jenny fought against the rising tide of panic as she tried to count heads, to see who had made it to safety from the ruin of the ARC.
Nick stared around, reminding her of a lost dog searching for its master, his blue eyes filled with concern.
“Where’s Helen?” he demanded, his eyes quizzing each and everyone for the answer.
“Nick, she wouldn’t lift a finger to save you!” Jenny knew she was wasting her breath, but it had to be said.
*****
He turned to her and if anything his expression held apology. “I know.”
Two words, but they held a wealth of experience laced with sadness.
He turned, clearly intending to make his way back into the wrecked building.
“Don’t go, this is a mistake!”
Helen Cutter had stormed the ARC with an army of clones. One of them, an exact replica of the man Jenny was trying to reason with, had detonated a bomb.
They had barely escaped with their lives, yet Nick was still acting like an over-grown Boy Scout where Helen was concerned.
He smiled. “I’ll be fine.”
*****
“Cutter!” Her cry went unheeded by him.
At her side, she heard Lester demanding, equal parts irritation and concern in his voice, “Where the hell’s he going? Cutter!”
Nick took no notice as he ran back inside the building.
Jenny exchanged helpless looks with Lester. Nick rarely listened to anyone on the subject of Helen, so he was hardly likely to start now, not with her life in danger.
Her hold on the man she had spent so many years toying with was as strong as ever.
Despite Stephen’s death.
There were times when Jenny really hated Helen bloody Cutter.
*****
“He’s been gone too long!” Jenny’s words cut across the air of indecision. “Becker, we have to get them out of there!”
The soldier nodded. Together they ran back into the ARC, with Connor at their heels.
The smoke made her eyes sting. With a hand over her nose, Jenny followed Becker through the ruin of the once-pristine building. Twisted metal lay everywhere and glass scrunched under foot as they pressed on through the wreckage.
Something caught at her ankle, sending Jenny sprawling amidst the debris.
When she struggled to her feet, she had lost sight of Becker and Connor.
*****
The smoke was thicker now and Jenny had started to cough. Her lungs were burning and tears blurred her vision.
A hand reached out and gripped her arm. “Come on, we don’t have much time!”
A woman’s voice. Unfamiliar and yet not.
“I said, come on!”
Jenny pulled her jacket up around her mouth and struggled on.
She hadn’t realised that anyone else had still been inside the building. When this was over she was going to conduct some staff training on the subject of evacuation drills.
Starting with Professor Nick Cutter.
That was if she ever got the opportunity.
*****
The woman moved ahead of her through the smoke, skirting flames and the tangled guts of the Anomaly Research Centre.
Jenny could see auburn hair, much like her own, but the woman had a purple scarf wound around her face and Jenny had only caught the merest glimpse of her profile, but it had been enough to send a tendril of unease down her spine.
She could hear voices ahead, above the crackle of flames and the sound of yet more breaking glass.
“I’m sorry, Nick, I can’t let you go.” Helen Cutter’s voice was calm and controlled, almost amused.
*****
More smoke billowed ahead of them. The woman Jenny was following pressed on without the slightest hesitation.
Jenny ducked underneath a section of ceiling ripped loose by the blast and stayed as close to her as she could.
She heard Nick say, “Oh, for God’s sake!” He sounded exasperated, weary of Helen’s games.
She missed Helen’s reply as somewhere in the building another small explosion went off, showering dust down around her.
Jenny coughed and struggled on.
She had no idea where Becker and Connor were but Helen and Nick weren’t far off.
They were going to be in time.
*****
The metallic click of the slide on a handgun being cocked signalled Helen’s intention more clearly than words could ever have done.
Jenny’s hopes started to crumble.
Smoke and flames were all around them. She heard a shout and recognised Becker’s voice, but he wasn’t close enough.
“Come on!” Ahead of her, the woman’s voice acted as a spur to Jenny’s resolve. She pressed on, pushing her way through descended ceiling tiles and collapsed walls.
She could see Helen now, her arm outstretched, a pistol in her hand.
A slight smile on her face and no pity in her eyes.
*****
“You know what, Helen, you’re not as smart as I thought you were.” Nick’s voice held no fear, only weary resignation.
He sounded too tired to argue any more.
Jenny was now only a few steps behind the woman she had been following. A hand reached back to her, through the smoke and she took it.
Together they stepped out into the corridor, side by side, to face a woman who appeared to have finally and irrevocably parted company with humanity.
The sound of the gunshot was deafeningly loud.
Jenny flinched but the other woman just gripped her hand harder.
*****
A cry of pain sent Jenny’s hopes crashing to ruins amidst the destruction that surrounded her.
They had been too late.
She whirled around and saw Nick’s hand fly up to clutch his shoulder as he staggered backwards, crumpling against the only wall still standing and slumping to the floor.
Becker and Connor were at her side moments later.
They had all just been too late.
Nick stared up at her, surprise etched into every line of his face.
“It’s a shoulder wound,” Becker said quickly. “Give me something to pad it with!”
They hadn’t been too late after all.
*****
Jenny glanced over her shoulder. “Where is she?”
“Who?” Connor asked, pulling off his jacket and handing it to Becker, who wadded it up against Nick’s bloodied shoulder.
“The woman who was standing next to me just a moment ago.”
Connor shook his head. “There was no woman, Jenny, just you.”
“And don’t do anything like that again!” Becker snapped. “Leave the heroics to me.”
Nick smiled up at her through his pain. “Tell Claudia Brown…”
In spite of the flames and the heat, Jenny felt a sudden cold chill descend.
“…thank you,” Nick said quietly before unconsciousness claimed him.
*****
With Nick in Connor’s arms and Becker riding shotgun to ensure Helen didn’t get the chance to finish what she’d started, they made their way out of the building.
As Connor laid Nick down on the ground, he coughed and started to stir.
“Get an ambulance! Get this man an ambulance!” Lester ordered.
Another loud explosion sounded somewhere deep inside the ARC.
Jenny turned back to look at what might have been.
In the doorway, the woman pushed the scarf away from her mouth and smiled, then the smoke swirled around her and she was gone.
“Thank you,” Jenny murmured.
Author : fredbassett
Fandom : Primeval
Rating : 12
Characters : Jenny, Nick, Connor, Becker, Lester
Disclaimer : Not mine, no money made, don’t sue.
Spoilers : 3.3
Word Count : 100 x 12 = 1,200
Summary : Jenny follows Nick back into the ruins of the ARC.
A/N : Written for
reggietate’s birthday. I hope you have a lovely day!The sound of another explosion somewhere deep in the building caused the onlookers to flinch and draw back.
Jenny fought against the rising tide of panic as she tried to count heads, to see who had made it to safety from the ruin of the ARC.
Nick stared around, reminding her of a lost dog searching for its master, his blue eyes filled with concern.
“Where’s Helen?” he demanded, his eyes quizzing each and everyone for the answer.
“Nick, she wouldn’t lift a finger to save you!” Jenny knew she was wasting her breath, but it had to be said.
*****
He turned to her and if anything his expression held apology. “I know.”
Two words, but they held a wealth of experience laced with sadness.
He turned, clearly intending to make his way back into the wrecked building.
“Don’t go, this is a mistake!”
Helen Cutter had stormed the ARC with an army of clones. One of them, an exact replica of the man Jenny was trying to reason with, had detonated a bomb.
They had barely escaped with their lives, yet Nick was still acting like an over-grown Boy Scout where Helen was concerned.
He smiled. “I’ll be fine.”
*****
“Cutter!” Her cry went unheeded by him.
At her side, she heard Lester demanding, equal parts irritation and concern in his voice, “Where the hell’s he going? Cutter!”
Nick took no notice as he ran back inside the building.
Jenny exchanged helpless looks with Lester. Nick rarely listened to anyone on the subject of Helen, so he was hardly likely to start now, not with her life in danger.
Her hold on the man she had spent so many years toying with was as strong as ever.
Despite Stephen’s death.
There were times when Jenny really hated Helen bloody Cutter.
*****
“He’s been gone too long!” Jenny’s words cut across the air of indecision. “Becker, we have to get them out of there!”
The soldier nodded. Together they ran back into the ARC, with Connor at their heels.
The smoke made her eyes sting. With a hand over her nose, Jenny followed Becker through the ruin of the once-pristine building. Twisted metal lay everywhere and glass scrunched under foot as they pressed on through the wreckage.
Something caught at her ankle, sending Jenny sprawling amidst the debris.
When she struggled to her feet, she had lost sight of Becker and Connor.
*****
The smoke was thicker now and Jenny had started to cough. Her lungs were burning and tears blurred her vision.
A hand reached out and gripped her arm. “Come on, we don’t have much time!”
A woman’s voice. Unfamiliar and yet not.
“I said, come on!”
Jenny pulled her jacket up around her mouth and struggled on.
She hadn’t realised that anyone else had still been inside the building. When this was over she was going to conduct some staff training on the subject of evacuation drills.
Starting with Professor Nick Cutter.
That was if she ever got the opportunity.
*****
The woman moved ahead of her through the smoke, skirting flames and the tangled guts of the Anomaly Research Centre.
Jenny could see auburn hair, much like her own, but the woman had a purple scarf wound around her face and Jenny had only caught the merest glimpse of her profile, but it had been enough to send a tendril of unease down her spine.
She could hear voices ahead, above the crackle of flames and the sound of yet more breaking glass.
“I’m sorry, Nick, I can’t let you go.” Helen Cutter’s voice was calm and controlled, almost amused.
*****
More smoke billowed ahead of them. The woman Jenny was following pressed on without the slightest hesitation.
Jenny ducked underneath a section of ceiling ripped loose by the blast and stayed as close to her as she could.
She heard Nick say, “Oh, for God’s sake!” He sounded exasperated, weary of Helen’s games.
She missed Helen’s reply as somewhere in the building another small explosion went off, showering dust down around her.
Jenny coughed and struggled on.
She had no idea where Becker and Connor were but Helen and Nick weren’t far off.
They were going to be in time.
*****
The metallic click of the slide on a handgun being cocked signalled Helen’s intention more clearly than words could ever have done.
Jenny’s hopes started to crumble.
Smoke and flames were all around them. She heard a shout and recognised Becker’s voice, but he wasn’t close enough.
“Come on!” Ahead of her, the woman’s voice acted as a spur to Jenny’s resolve. She pressed on, pushing her way through descended ceiling tiles and collapsed walls.
She could see Helen now, her arm outstretched, a pistol in her hand.
A slight smile on her face and no pity in her eyes.
*****
“You know what, Helen, you’re not as smart as I thought you were.” Nick’s voice held no fear, only weary resignation.
He sounded too tired to argue any more.
Jenny was now only a few steps behind the woman she had been following. A hand reached back to her, through the smoke and she took it.
Together they stepped out into the corridor, side by side, to face a woman who appeared to have finally and irrevocably parted company with humanity.
The sound of the gunshot was deafeningly loud.
Jenny flinched but the other woman just gripped her hand harder.
*****
A cry of pain sent Jenny’s hopes crashing to ruins amidst the destruction that surrounded her.
They had been too late.
She whirled around and saw Nick’s hand fly up to clutch his shoulder as he staggered backwards, crumpling against the only wall still standing and slumping to the floor.
Becker and Connor were at her side moments later.
They had all just been too late.
Nick stared up at her, surprise etched into every line of his face.
“It’s a shoulder wound,” Becker said quickly. “Give me something to pad it with!”
They hadn’t been too late after all.
*****
Jenny glanced over her shoulder. “Where is she?”
“Who?” Connor asked, pulling off his jacket and handing it to Becker, who wadded it up against Nick’s bloodied shoulder.
“The woman who was standing next to me just a moment ago.”
Connor shook his head. “There was no woman, Jenny, just you.”
“And don’t do anything like that again!” Becker snapped. “Leave the heroics to me.”
Nick smiled up at her through his pain. “Tell Claudia Brown…”
In spite of the flames and the heat, Jenny felt a sudden cold chill descend.
“…thank you,” Nick said quietly before unconsciousness claimed him.
*****
With Nick in Connor’s arms and Becker riding shotgun to ensure Helen didn’t get the chance to finish what she’d started, they made their way out of the building.
As Connor laid Nick down on the ground, he coughed and started to stir.
“Get an ambulance! Get this man an ambulance!” Lester ordered.
Another loud explosion sounded somewhere deep inside the ARC.
Jenny turned back to look at what might have been.
In the doorway, the woman pushed the scarf away from her mouth and smiled, then the smoke swirled around her and she was gone.
“Thank you,” Jenny murmured.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 02:13 pm (UTC)A great denial twist! Even though I knew or rather suspected it was Claudia...it was still a great read!!
And Cutter looking like a lost dog? lol I know that look! Nice!
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Date: 2012-01-16 10:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 05:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 10:46 am (UTC)Full of great lines. I think this is my favourite: "Jenny turned back to look at what might have been."
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Date: 2012-01-16 05:33 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2012-01-16 11:45 am (UTC)Yay - Claudia and Jenny make a great team in this!
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Date: 2012-01-16 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 01:55 pm (UTC)Phew *relieved sigh*
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Date: 2012-01-16 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 02:13 pm (UTC)A great denial twist! Even though I knew or rather suspected it was Claudia...it was still a great read!!
And Cutter looking like a lost dog? lol I know that look! Nice!
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Date: 2012-01-16 05:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 03:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 05:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 07:50 pm (UTC)Yay!
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Date: 2012-01-16 07:52 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2012-01-24 10:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-24 07:42 pm (UTC)Yay for Jenny not letting Nick go alone. Great (partial) fix-it!
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Date: 2012-01-24 08:12 pm (UTC)And I love your Claudia icon!
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Date: 2012-01-30 02:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 02:17 pm (UTC)