Primeval fic: Broken Wings (1/17)
Jan. 1st, 2012 05:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
knitekatTitle: Broken Wings (1/17)
Author: knitekat
Word Count: 2239 (of ~27300)
Characters: Tom Ryan, James Lester, team and OC soldiers.
Pairing: James Lester/Tom Ryan, various.
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace. The OCs belong to Fred and Luka. 'Broken Wings' is a song by Mr Mister.
A/N: For Fred and her prompt of Lester/Ryan and Technical Hitch. Thanks go to Luka for looking at it and to the wonderful Fifi for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.
A/N2: Continues in Part 2.
Warning (for all parts): Timey-wimey AU: death!fic, dark!fic, dub!con, hurt/comfort, angst, slash, het, OOC-ness.
Ryan pulled into the ARC car park and smiled; for all the chaos of this posting he was glad to be back, even if, knowing Lyle, he was likely to come back to a desk full of paperwork. Strolling into the atrium, Ryan couldn't help but notice that Connor's now half-built machine dominated the space; Connor must have been working on it every spare minute he had. Ryan was slightly surprised over the mess Connor had left behind – not that Connor had left it, but that James had not made a scene over it. Ryan assumed that Connor's claim his machine would detect anomalies as soon as they opened – before a creature could come through – had been enough to stop James' renowned obsession with neatness. Ryan smiled, at least for the time being. Personally, Ryan couldn't have cared less over the mess, all he cared about was if it worked. If it did, if they could get to an anomaly before a creature came through, it would make Ryan's life so much easier.
He grinned when he noticed the professor and his assistant standing rather too close together for propriety. It certainly made his life one hell of a lot easier now those two had stopped circling each other and admitted their feelings. His grin grew as he recalled that Helen had not been impressed; she had turned up expecting Stephen to fall into her arms, and her plans, as eagerly as a puppy greeting its owner. Apparently, her expression on finding Stephen in bed with the professor, obviously post-coital, had been worth every inconvenience Helen had ever caused them.
Talking of lovers reminded Ryan he needed to report in ready for duty and he strolled up the ramp towards James' office. He slowed as he reached the top and saw Leek watching James intently – rather too intently for Ryan's peace of mind. At least, Leek did until he noticed Ryan and scurried back to his own office. Ryan didn't like or trust the man, but he half-suspected it was because of Leek's interest in James. Bloody hell. Didn't he know he had no chance with James?
James' amused voice broke through Ryan's musings. “Are you coming in, Ryan, or just admiring the view?”
“It's a bloody lovely view,” Ryan muttered as he took in James, all suited and booted and Ryan decided to fuck propriety. He stepped inside the office and tugged on James' tie to coax his lover out of his chair and into Ryan's arms. They exchanged a languid kiss until a cleared throat had Ryan jump backwards.
“Did you want something?” James sounded remarkably calm for a man just caught snogging with his boyfriend. Far calmer than Ryan felt as he turned around to see who it was, although he relaxed when he realised it was Claudia rather than Leek who had caught them.
“Sorry for interrupting, James,” Claudia waved her phone, “but Connor's just called in. He's picked up radio interference. He and Abby have gone to investigate and will call back if they find anything.”
James just blinked at her for a moment. “Radio interference?”
“Yes, sir. Professor Cutter's theory that the anomalies interfere with a particular radio frequency...” Leek must have sidled unnoticed into the room behind Claudia, at least Ryan hoped he had. The thought of Leek watching them snog didn't appeal to him, the oily little man would probably get off on it.
“I do remember that conversation, Leek.”
Leek seemed to retreat into himself and Ryan almost felt sorry for him, sorry for his earlier thoughts. The man had just set his sights too high when he had become interested in James. Ryan sighed softly before hurrying to catch James up as his lover started to walk down the ramp to the atrium. Claudia's phone rang and James' voice was filled with irritation, “Well, Ms Brown. Any further thrilling updates from Connor?”
Claudia nodded and paled as she listened to Connor on the phone. “Oh.”
James paused on the ramp and turned to face Claudia, his eyebrow quirked as he enquired, “Ms Brown?”
James wasn't the only one who didn't like the sound of Claudia's comment. Ryan had the feeling he'd soon be out in the field against who knew what kind of annoyedosaurus.
“There's a mammoth on the M25.”
Ryan could hear the disbelief in Claudia's voice and didn't blame her. He had no idea how they'd manage to cover up a bloody mammoth on one of Britain's busiest motorways.
“A what?” James groaned. “My worst nightmare, in one sentence.”
James must have had the same thought as him and if they weren't in public, Ryan would have reassured his lover, but he knew James wouldn't appreciate being kissed in public, certainly not in front of his employees.
“It's a Columbian mammoth,” the professor called up to James.
Ryan's lips twitched as James barked back, “The flavour is immaterial.” The professor definitely had the knack when it came to irritating James, and Ryan was convinced he did it on purpose.
Leek obviously wanted to look useful as he chipped in with, “The Columbian mammoth was a hairless species, sir,” although Ryan did wonder where he got his apparently useless bits of information from. He was supposed to be a civil servant after all, not an expert in the prehistoric.
“Look, I don't care if it's shaved its legs and got a bikini wax, it's on a busy motorway in broad daylight.”
“No, it isn't, James.” Claudia earned herself another quirked eyebrow for that comment and quickly clarified at James' silent query, “Connor says the area is clear. Something about it being closed for repairs.”
James breathed out a relieved sigh. “Good. Let's keep it that way. Cutter, gather your team and meet Connor and Abby at the anomaly. Captain Ryan, take a full team. I want no problems and especially no media.”
“Yes, sir.” Ryan snapped a salute and smothered his grin when Stephen winked at him.
“Are you still here? Chop, chop, ladies and gentlemen. There is a mammoth waiting for you.”
Claudia proved her worth once more as she got the ARC convoy past the barriers and down the slip-road onto the motorway with the minimum of effort. Ryan quirked an eyebrow at her as she resumed her seat beside him in the lead vehicle.
“I merely repeated Abby's story of a report of an escaped animal,” Claudia answered his unspoken question.
Ryan nodded as he drove down onto the motorway. It was bloody eerie with no other vehicles tearing down the tarmac. Thinking of what lay ahead of them, Ryan had never been so happy to see the fast-breeding traffic cones and lack of workmen on a closed stretch of motorway than he was now. Connor waved at them from Abby's parked car and pointed towards the anomaly flickering on the hard shoulder and the huge and loudly trumpeting mammoth.
Lyle muttered over the radio, “Do you think he thinks we can't see them?”
Ryan snorted as they parked the vehicles up and his men set up the defensive perimeter. He smiled as he saw the professor's face. The man was in his element, his voice awed as he said, “Oh, you beauty.” The professor took a few steps towards the mammoth as he continued his explanation, “It's the biggest elephant that ever lived. They were still running around North America until about 8000 years ago.”
Ryan cleared his throat. It might all be interesting, but they had a job to do. “Professor. How would you recommend dealing with it?”
“He,” Abby said as she joined the group as the mammoth trumpeted again and reared up, his feet thumping back onto the tarmac. “He's a he. He's a herd animal and he can't smell his mates.” Abby turned to face Ryan. “He's missing his herd and getting agitated. Get your men back, Ryan, they're making him nervous.”
“We're making him nervous?” Ryan muttered before signalling his men to pull back.
“We have to get the mammoth back through the anomaly somehow,” Abby said thoughtfully before smiling. “I have an idea. I won't be long.” Abby dashed off to her car and drove off at speed.
Ryan quirked an eyebrow, “Professor?”
The professor shrugged. “Abby's our animal expert, Ryan.”
Ryan nodded and called James with an update. He smiled as he hung up, James had sounded so relieved when he had reported that no one was around to witness the incursion. Ryan knew his lover was imagining the publicity nightmare if someone had been around to see it. Unlike most of the team, he also knew James was imagining the same as he was: the chaos it could have caused if the motorway had been opened. Even worse if, as normal, it had been a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam. The carnage and property damage the mammoth could have caused would have been immense, not to mention a publicity nightmare.
Abby's return distracted Ryan from his thoughts and he frowned as she passed the professor a container. As the professor walked towards the mammoth, spraying whatever was inside on the ground, Ryan nodded towards him and asked Abby, “What did you give him?”
“It's female elephant urine.”
Ryan grinned at her response before asking, “He'll follow it?” He couldn't keep the incredulity out of his voice.
Abby nodded. “He's missing his herd and he's going to want to follow the scent of another elephant.” At Ryan's quirked eyebrow she grinned, “There's a safari park one junction down.”
Ryan frowned as he watched the professor carefully approach the agitated mammoth. He tightened his grip on his weapon and moved into a better position in case Abby's plan didn't work. James wouldn't be impressed if the professor was trampled, no matter how much the man annoyed him.
“It will work, Ryan,” Abby called out softly. “Nick can lead him back through the anomaly.”
“Are you sure?”
Abby shrugged. “It's worth a go.”
Ryan nodded and ordered his men to stand ready in case the mammoth didn't follow the trail back to the anomaly. Ryan smiled when the mammoth flexed its trunk towards the professor and rumbled. The mammoth's ears flapped as he almost ran towards the professor and had the man running towards the anomaly. The professor threw the container through and dived for one side as the mammoth charged past him and through the anomaly. Ryan sighed with relief as the anomaly flickered shut behind it. Bloody hell, that had been close. James would be impressed by Abby's thinking outside the box, especially as it meant he wouldn't have to find a home for the creature at the ARC; not that James would let her know.
Claudia called James to inform him the mammoth had returned to its time and the anomaly had closed. She had frowned slightly and sighed as she finished her call. “Sir James wants the whole area checked for other creatures.”
Ryan groaned softly, they would be here for several hours as Stephen and Finn checked and double-checked for tracks. He knew James was only following procedure, but did the man really think they'd really miss another bloody big mammoth? Bloody red tape, James seemed to thrive on it and Ryan sometimes wondered why he had ever fallen for a bureaucrat. He smiled, well, apart from the obvious, of course. Meanwhile, since he had nothing else currently occupying his attention, Ryan decided he could spend the time rather more productively in thinking about what he and James could get up to on honeymoon in the Caribbean. He was determined to introduce James to snorkelling and any other reasonably safe activity he could think of. Even if he had to drag James into participating or, Ryan grinned, blow his mind until James agreed. Of course, their nights would be full of other activities, other very enjoyable and energetic activities.
Ryan's pleasant musings were interrupted by the sight of Stephen and Finn returning, dirty but smiling. Good, they hadn't found traces of any other intruders. Now all he had to do was write up his report and see if James could be convinced to leave on time. Ryan smiled, he was sure he could be very persuasive.
Ryan sighed and stretched as much as he could in the cramped confines of the ARC vehicle. He knew he should have expected tailbacks with the bloody motorway closed, but they hadn't moved for the past half-hour and barely faster than a snail the half-hour before that.
By the time the three vehicles had crawled through the rush hour traffic and turned into the street outside the ARC, Ryan was seriously considering leaving his report until the morning. James might grouse about it, but Ryan was sure he could convince James of the merits of his plan. Ryan's smile faded as they drove through the open gates of the ARC. Where the hell was security? Anyone could have just walked into the ARC. “Blade, Finn. Check out the gate.”
Lyle's voice crackled over the radio. “Boss. My thumbs are itching like mad.”
Author: knitekat
Word Count: 2239 (of ~27300)
Characters: Tom Ryan, James Lester, team and OC soldiers.
Pairing: James Lester/Tom Ryan, various.
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace. The OCs belong to Fred and Luka. 'Broken Wings' is a song by Mr Mister.
A/N: For Fred and her prompt of Lester/Ryan and Technical Hitch. Thanks go to Luka for looking at it and to the wonderful Fifi for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.
A/N2: Continues in Part 2.
Warning (for all parts): Timey-wimey AU: death!fic, dark!fic, dub!con, hurt/comfort, angst, slash, het, OOC-ness.
Ryan pulled into the ARC car park and smiled; for all the chaos of this posting he was glad to be back, even if, knowing Lyle, he was likely to come back to a desk full of paperwork. Strolling into the atrium, Ryan couldn't help but notice that Connor's now half-built machine dominated the space; Connor must have been working on it every spare minute he had. Ryan was slightly surprised over the mess Connor had left behind – not that Connor had left it, but that James had not made a scene over it. Ryan assumed that Connor's claim his machine would detect anomalies as soon as they opened – before a creature could come through – had been enough to stop James' renowned obsession with neatness. Ryan smiled, at least for the time being. Personally, Ryan couldn't have cared less over the mess, all he cared about was if it worked. If it did, if they could get to an anomaly before a creature came through, it would make Ryan's life so much easier.
He grinned when he noticed the professor and his assistant standing rather too close together for propriety. It certainly made his life one hell of a lot easier now those two had stopped circling each other and admitted their feelings. His grin grew as he recalled that Helen had not been impressed; she had turned up expecting Stephen to fall into her arms, and her plans, as eagerly as a puppy greeting its owner. Apparently, her expression on finding Stephen in bed with the professor, obviously post-coital, had been worth every inconvenience Helen had ever caused them.
Talking of lovers reminded Ryan he needed to report in ready for duty and he strolled up the ramp towards James' office. He slowed as he reached the top and saw Leek watching James intently – rather too intently for Ryan's peace of mind. At least, Leek did until he noticed Ryan and scurried back to his own office. Ryan didn't like or trust the man, but he half-suspected it was because of Leek's interest in James. Bloody hell. Didn't he know he had no chance with James?
James' amused voice broke through Ryan's musings. “Are you coming in, Ryan, or just admiring the view?”
“It's a bloody lovely view,” Ryan muttered as he took in James, all suited and booted and Ryan decided to fuck propriety. He stepped inside the office and tugged on James' tie to coax his lover out of his chair and into Ryan's arms. They exchanged a languid kiss until a cleared throat had Ryan jump backwards.
“Did you want something?” James sounded remarkably calm for a man just caught snogging with his boyfriend. Far calmer than Ryan felt as he turned around to see who it was, although he relaxed when he realised it was Claudia rather than Leek who had caught them.
“Sorry for interrupting, James,” Claudia waved her phone, “but Connor's just called in. He's picked up radio interference. He and Abby have gone to investigate and will call back if they find anything.”
James just blinked at her for a moment. “Radio interference?”
“Yes, sir. Professor Cutter's theory that the anomalies interfere with a particular radio frequency...” Leek must have sidled unnoticed into the room behind Claudia, at least Ryan hoped he had. The thought of Leek watching them snog didn't appeal to him, the oily little man would probably get off on it.
“I do remember that conversation, Leek.”
Leek seemed to retreat into himself and Ryan almost felt sorry for him, sorry for his earlier thoughts. The man had just set his sights too high when he had become interested in James. Ryan sighed softly before hurrying to catch James up as his lover started to walk down the ramp to the atrium. Claudia's phone rang and James' voice was filled with irritation, “Well, Ms Brown. Any further thrilling updates from Connor?”
Claudia nodded and paled as she listened to Connor on the phone. “Oh.”
James paused on the ramp and turned to face Claudia, his eyebrow quirked as he enquired, “Ms Brown?”
James wasn't the only one who didn't like the sound of Claudia's comment. Ryan had the feeling he'd soon be out in the field against who knew what kind of annoyedosaurus.
“There's a mammoth on the M25.”
Ryan could hear the disbelief in Claudia's voice and didn't blame her. He had no idea how they'd manage to cover up a bloody mammoth on one of Britain's busiest motorways.
“A what?” James groaned. “My worst nightmare, in one sentence.”
James must have had the same thought as him and if they weren't in public, Ryan would have reassured his lover, but he knew James wouldn't appreciate being kissed in public, certainly not in front of his employees.
“It's a Columbian mammoth,” the professor called up to James.
Ryan's lips twitched as James barked back, “The flavour is immaterial.” The professor definitely had the knack when it came to irritating James, and Ryan was convinced he did it on purpose.
Leek obviously wanted to look useful as he chipped in with, “The Columbian mammoth was a hairless species, sir,” although Ryan did wonder where he got his apparently useless bits of information from. He was supposed to be a civil servant after all, not an expert in the prehistoric.
“Look, I don't care if it's shaved its legs and got a bikini wax, it's on a busy motorway in broad daylight.”
“No, it isn't, James.” Claudia earned herself another quirked eyebrow for that comment and quickly clarified at James' silent query, “Connor says the area is clear. Something about it being closed for repairs.”
James breathed out a relieved sigh. “Good. Let's keep it that way. Cutter, gather your team and meet Connor and Abby at the anomaly. Captain Ryan, take a full team. I want no problems and especially no media.”
“Yes, sir.” Ryan snapped a salute and smothered his grin when Stephen winked at him.
“Are you still here? Chop, chop, ladies and gentlemen. There is a mammoth waiting for you.”
****
Claudia proved her worth once more as she got the ARC convoy past the barriers and down the slip-road onto the motorway with the minimum of effort. Ryan quirked an eyebrow at her as she resumed her seat beside him in the lead vehicle.
“I merely repeated Abby's story of a report of an escaped animal,” Claudia answered his unspoken question.
Ryan nodded as he drove down onto the motorway. It was bloody eerie with no other vehicles tearing down the tarmac. Thinking of what lay ahead of them, Ryan had never been so happy to see the fast-breeding traffic cones and lack of workmen on a closed stretch of motorway than he was now. Connor waved at them from Abby's parked car and pointed towards the anomaly flickering on the hard shoulder and the huge and loudly trumpeting mammoth.
Lyle muttered over the radio, “Do you think he thinks we can't see them?”
Ryan snorted as they parked the vehicles up and his men set up the defensive perimeter. He smiled as he saw the professor's face. The man was in his element, his voice awed as he said, “Oh, you beauty.” The professor took a few steps towards the mammoth as he continued his explanation, “It's the biggest elephant that ever lived. They were still running around North America until about 8000 years ago.”
Ryan cleared his throat. It might all be interesting, but they had a job to do. “Professor. How would you recommend dealing with it?”
“He,” Abby said as she joined the group as the mammoth trumpeted again and reared up, his feet thumping back onto the tarmac. “He's a he. He's a herd animal and he can't smell his mates.” Abby turned to face Ryan. “He's missing his herd and getting agitated. Get your men back, Ryan, they're making him nervous.”
“We're making him nervous?” Ryan muttered before signalling his men to pull back.
“We have to get the mammoth back through the anomaly somehow,” Abby said thoughtfully before smiling. “I have an idea. I won't be long.” Abby dashed off to her car and drove off at speed.
Ryan quirked an eyebrow, “Professor?”
The professor shrugged. “Abby's our animal expert, Ryan.”
Ryan nodded and called James with an update. He smiled as he hung up, James had sounded so relieved when he had reported that no one was around to witness the incursion. Ryan knew his lover was imagining the publicity nightmare if someone had been around to see it. Unlike most of the team, he also knew James was imagining the same as he was: the chaos it could have caused if the motorway had been opened. Even worse if, as normal, it had been a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam. The carnage and property damage the mammoth could have caused would have been immense, not to mention a publicity nightmare.
Abby's return distracted Ryan from his thoughts and he frowned as she passed the professor a container. As the professor walked towards the mammoth, spraying whatever was inside on the ground, Ryan nodded towards him and asked Abby, “What did you give him?”
“It's female elephant urine.”
Ryan grinned at her response before asking, “He'll follow it?” He couldn't keep the incredulity out of his voice.
Abby nodded. “He's missing his herd and he's going to want to follow the scent of another elephant.” At Ryan's quirked eyebrow she grinned, “There's a safari park one junction down.”
Ryan frowned as he watched the professor carefully approach the agitated mammoth. He tightened his grip on his weapon and moved into a better position in case Abby's plan didn't work. James wouldn't be impressed if the professor was trampled, no matter how much the man annoyed him.
“It will work, Ryan,” Abby called out softly. “Nick can lead him back through the anomaly.”
“Are you sure?”
Abby shrugged. “It's worth a go.”
Ryan nodded and ordered his men to stand ready in case the mammoth didn't follow the trail back to the anomaly. Ryan smiled when the mammoth flexed its trunk towards the professor and rumbled. The mammoth's ears flapped as he almost ran towards the professor and had the man running towards the anomaly. The professor threw the container through and dived for one side as the mammoth charged past him and through the anomaly. Ryan sighed with relief as the anomaly flickered shut behind it. Bloody hell, that had been close. James would be impressed by Abby's thinking outside the box, especially as it meant he wouldn't have to find a home for the creature at the ARC; not that James would let her know.
****
Claudia called James to inform him the mammoth had returned to its time and the anomaly had closed. She had frowned slightly and sighed as she finished her call. “Sir James wants the whole area checked for other creatures.”
Ryan groaned softly, they would be here for several hours as Stephen and Finn checked and double-checked for tracks. He knew James was only following procedure, but did the man really think they'd really miss another bloody big mammoth? Bloody red tape, James seemed to thrive on it and Ryan sometimes wondered why he had ever fallen for a bureaucrat. He smiled, well, apart from the obvious, of course. Meanwhile, since he had nothing else currently occupying his attention, Ryan decided he could spend the time rather more productively in thinking about what he and James could get up to on honeymoon in the Caribbean. He was determined to introduce James to snorkelling and any other reasonably safe activity he could think of. Even if he had to drag James into participating or, Ryan grinned, blow his mind until James agreed. Of course, their nights would be full of other activities, other very enjoyable and energetic activities.
Ryan's pleasant musings were interrupted by the sight of Stephen and Finn returning, dirty but smiling. Good, they hadn't found traces of any other intruders. Now all he had to do was write up his report and see if James could be convinced to leave on time. Ryan smiled, he was sure he could be very persuasive.
****
Ryan sighed and stretched as much as he could in the cramped confines of the ARC vehicle. He knew he should have expected tailbacks with the bloody motorway closed, but they hadn't moved for the past half-hour and barely faster than a snail the half-hour before that.
By the time the three vehicles had crawled through the rush hour traffic and turned into the street outside the ARC, Ryan was seriously considering leaving his report until the morning. James might grouse about it, but Ryan was sure he could convince James of the merits of his plan. Ryan's smile faded as they drove through the open gates of the ARC. Where the hell was security? Anyone could have just walked into the ARC. “Blade, Finn. Check out the gate.”
Lyle's voice crackled over the radio. “Boss. My thumbs are itching like mad.”
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Date: 2012-01-02 06:51 pm (UTC)