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Primeval fic: Countermeasures
Title: Countermeasures
Author: knitekat
Word Count: 1585
Characters: Nick Cutter, Christine Johnson, Abby Maitland, James Lester, Jenny Lewis, Lyle (OC), Tom Ryan, Connor Temple, and a guest appearance.
Pairing: James Lester/Nick Cutter.
Rating: 12
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
A/N: Part of my Under The Moonlight wolfverse. Follows on from Power Play and continues in Misunderstanding. Thanks to the ever wonderful Fred for the beta.
Connor grinned when Nick entered the conference room. He was still buzzing from what he had seen at the anomaly in Yorkshire and was bursting to tell Nick all about it. “Professor, that anomaly was brilliant ...”
Abby nudged Connor to be silent when Nick just nodded as he carefully sat down. He was obviously preoccupied with something.
Jenny leant forward and looked at him in concern. “Nick? Is everything OK?”
“Hmmm.” Nick looked up. “Oh, sorry, Connor. What were you saying?”
“Um.”
“Nick?”
Nick noticed that all the team who had been at the Yorkshire anomaly were watching him and he sighed. “Leek showed up on the radar.”
A babble of voices met his statement. “What?” and “Did we get him?” and “Fucking bastard” amongst the comments.
Nick shook his head. “We had another open anomaly to deal with.”
Jenny sighed. “What did James do?”
“Nothing.” Nick grinned. “Lorraine and Blade both made sure of that.”
Connor laughed. “I bet he wasn't happy about that.”
“Not at all. Blade threatened to tie him to his own chair with caving ropes if he tried anything.”
Lyle laughed. “Ah, that would explain Lester's glares and Blade trying to keep out of his way.” When Nick blushed, Lyle smirked as he continued, “Or that's part of the reason, right, Professor?”
Jenny's lips gave a slight twitch, but her voice was professional when she asked, “I assume Leek is the reason for this meeting?”
“Part of it,” Nick nodded, obviously relieved by the change of conversation. “I'm reasonably sure this is something James has been planning for some time. What happened yesterday has just moved the schedule up.”
Everyone else exchanged curious glances before looking at the door in anticipation when it opened to reveal Lester. He paused at the silence and curious looks that greeted him instead of the noise he had expected. Lester raised a questioning eyebrow at Nick who gave him a shrug in return.
“I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called you here.” Lester swept his gaze around the room. “With the increasing frequency of anomalies I have been considering for some time the need to expand this facility's operational strength – scientifically and militarily.”
Ryan nodded. “So we would have had someone spare to hunt down Leek.”
Lester inclined his head in agreement. “I assume Nick has explained yesterday's events to you all.” When they all nodded, he continued, “We can't rely on anomalies opening or certain people appearing when we have the personnel available to deal with them.” He sighed. “The minister has finally agreed to an extra military team and Ms Johnson has already suggested one of her own people as its team leader. A,” Lester flicked through his notes. “Hmm. A Captain Wilder.”
Lyle looked up sharply, “Fuck!”
Lester's jaw twitched. “Would I be correct in assuming you've heard of Wilder, Lieutenant?”
Lyle nodded tight lipped. “Nothing good, sir.”
Jenny quirked an eyebrow at Lester. “Although, Ms Johnson wanting someone inside the ARC isn't a surprise, is it, James?”
Lester sighed. “Not really. She wants control, or at least influence, over the ARC and I've never known Christine Johnson give up on anything she wants.”
Nick frowned worriedly as he asked, “What can we do about her?”
Lester sighed again. “Not much, not while she has the minister's ear.”
His lips twitched slightly and he raised an eyebrow at Lyle when the lieutenant leant towards Ryan and whispered something rather loudly. “I wouldn't want to speculate on that, Lyle.”
Lyle just grinned back.
Jenny sighed before obviously deciding to try and get the meeting back on track. “James, what are you actually suggesting we do?”
Lester glanced around the table before speaking again. “My proposal is this: all of you can nominate someone, or even several people, as potential recruits for this facility. Scientific, military, anyone with useful skills, knowledge or abilities.”
“Anyone?”
“Within reason, Mr Temple.” Lester smirked at him. “And that does include your geeky friends, as long as they won't blab secrets.”
Connor dropped his gaze and squirmed in his chair. “Sorry.”
Lester nodded. “You have until the end of the day to make your choices. I intend to start the selection process by whittling that list down tomorrow. Make sure you can justify your suggestions, because believe me, you will have to. That's all.”
As the chairs scrap and people left, Lester called out. “Captains Ryan and Stringer, Lieutenant Lyle, please remain seated.”
The three soldiers exchanged glances as the others filed out. They all noted Nick's quizzical look directed at Lester and the man shaking his head in response.
***
Connor sat in front of the ADD, a pad of paper in one hand which he tapped absent-mindedly with a pen. He almost fell off his chair when Abby spoke to him. “Wha...”
“Sorry Con.”
“It's OK. Just thinking.”
“Are you going to suggest Duncan and Tom?”
“Maybe. What about you?”
“We could do with some more animal experts and keepers for the creatures we have here. People who know how to properly deal with animals.”
“Nick's going to suggest another scientist or two.” He grinned at her. “And I think the soldiers are getting together to present their own wish list of additional military personnel to Lester.”
***
The next day, Nick jumped at the knock on his door and heard a familiar chuckle. “Ha, ha, James. I thought you and Jenny were buried in short-listing those suggestions?”
Lester gave a mock shudder, “Please remind me never to ask for suggestions ever again. Some of Connor's ...”
“That bad?”
Lester sighed, “No, not really. I think we might actually get some personnel out of this.”
“Including Connor's suggestions?”
“Maybe. We could probably use some more geeks.” Lester narrowed his eyes at his lover, “And if you repeat that to him, you'll be on the sofa for a week.”
Nick raised his hands in defence, “OK, OK, anything but that.” He grinned at Lester. “Shouldn't you go back to work, love, before Jenny realises you've escaped and comes looking for you?”
Lester rolled his eyes, “Probably. Oh, keep an eye out for Johnson. I'm expecting a visit from her.”
“Will it be good?”
Lester grinned evilly at his lover. “You might want to find a decent seat.”
“Well, in that case, I better come with you now because she's just walking towards your office with Wilder.”
“Good.” Lester quickly grinned at Nick, before smoothing his face to its professional mask and stepping out of Nick's office. A smile flashed across his face as Lester spied the tall soldier patiently standing at easy off to one side. Turning his attention back to Christine, Lester pasted a fake-sincere smile on his face as he called out to gain Christine's attention, “Christine. Glad you could drop by at such short notice.”
Christine turned towards him and raised a disdainful eyebrow as she saw him and Nick standing together. “James, I do hope I haven't interrupted something ...” Her voice oozed innuendo.
“Not at all,” Lester replied smoothly. “Now, Christine, since you and the minister are so concerned about the security of this facility, I wanted you to be the first to know.”
Nick scowled as he noticed Christine's brief look of triumph and just hoped James knew what he was doing.
Lester continued, “You were right about the ARC needing more security. The recent dual-anomalies stretched our current military forces somewhat. The minister, as you know, has agreed to fund an additional military team and I am going to need a man just like Captain Wilder here to lead it.”
Christine smiled in victory, “I'm glad you've come around to my way of thinking.”
Lester's smile became somewhat predatory. “Oh, not Wilder himself, of course. He's, er, playing much too vital a role on your own staff.” Lester nodded and beckoned to the soldier who strolled towards them. “But Captain Becker, here, is just like him. Career army, graduated top of his class, I understand, weapons training, management skills ... the perfect choice. I've already cleared it with the minister.”
Christine forced a smile as she shook Becker's hand. “Congratulations. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other.”“Ma'am.”
***
Nick grinned at Lester as they watched Christine angrily stride out of the ARC. “You are an evil man, James.”
“But you still love me.”
Nick glanced nervously at the newest member of the ARC only to meet Captain Becker's grin. “Don't mind me, sir, my brother's gay.” Becker nodded to Lester, “If you don't mind, sir, I'd like to have that tour of the ARC.”
Lester snorted at the surprised look on Nick's face. “Yes. Right. I need to talk with you anyway, captain, so we might as well do both.” He tugged Nick towards him and kissed him. “I'll see you later, love.”
Nick just blinked at Lester as his lover began Becker's guided tour of the facility. A slow grin appeared on Nick's face as he turned back to his work.
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I love the whole 'expanding the ARC' thing - huge fun. And lol at the suggestions!
"Don't mind me, sir, my brother's gay." *arched eyebrow* Becker, darling, your brother? I'm certain he's not the only friend of Dorothy in your family...
(Hee, couldn't resist.)
*wriggles happily and can't wait for more*
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The ARC expansion is a newish idea, so hopefully it will work OK.
Hee. Becker hasn't answered that question yet, unlike all the others who have just told me who they are with. (once I looked it up to clarify what you meant *g*).
Um, sorry but I think you will have to. Still working on the next part and got bit by a different bunny last week that is rather insistent. *pets the birdie and throws choco-birdseed down as a distraction*
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Lol! Sorry about that, but it was the only phrase that really suited my tone in that sentence... xP (Knowing gay American history puts a whole new spin on the Wizard of Oz).
*pouts* *gobbles the birdseed* You are rather liberal with that, m'dear! *g*
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*well, if it works as a distraction* *g*
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Lol!
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Once again, I love the way you've worked series three canon into your story! I got a kick out of how gleeful Lester was to turn the tables on Christine and hire Becker instead of Wilder! I thought your version of Lester's 3.5 speech was great! :-)
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I'm trying to follow some of the canon, if it fits, so it is good to know you like it.
Thanks again for reading.
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I really like the way you've weaving S3 into this story. I shall of course wait patiently to see if you pair Becker with Connor or the CGLG *vbg*.
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Hopefully the mixing of canon and wolf continues to work.
You'll have to wait too, Becker hasn't told me and since everyone else who I know who they are with has, we'll both have to wait until Becker volunteers the information. *g*
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Thanks for reading.
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*sticks tongue out at Christine*
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*joins you*
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Oh, and now Becker is on the team. I'm curious who else will joining the team.
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Well ... I have ideas. It is getting a bit team heavy and will get heavier, so you will have to wait and see. Anyone you'd like to see? (out of curiousity).
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Perhaps Danny. But he would probably drive Lester and Nick mad within a week.;)
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