Fic: Cross-World Hunt (Multiverse!ARC) (8/8)

[goldarrow]

Title: Cross-World Hunt (Multiverse!ARC) (8/8)
Author: goldarrow
Word Count: 3,077 of 24,135
Characters/Pairing: Stephen, Ryan, Abby, Claudia, Blackwood, Burton, Captain Ross, Hemingway, Christine, Connor, Ditzy, Hartley, Helen, Becker, Lester, Jenny, Stringer, Lyle, Lorraine, Matt, Blade, Cutter, Finn, Sarah; Ditzy, Stringer, Lyle, Finn, and Blade belong to fredbassett, who kindly lends them out. Blackwood, Hemingway and Hartley are mine, along with a host of OCs.
Rating: 15
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures, not me. I will return everyone when I’m done, slightly mussed but in superb spirits nonetheless.
Synopsis: The search for Abby
Sequel to First World.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7


Cross-World Hunt – Part 8

Location: Earth 7-354 – Henry XXI Monarchy

Stringer used the time waiting for the Yates kids to find Christine Johnson's address by taking a quick jaunt back to ARC. Engaging Christine's ice-power would normally be fairly easy, but knowing what had happened to Ryan's and Stringer's teams when they'd gone up against Helen's mind-control with only their powers, he wasn't going to take a chance that the bitch might actually be checking in with Christine on occasion. They were going in armed with the fast-acting tranquilisers, the most effective weapons they could use short of the phased-light pistols, which were mostly lethal and only used in the gravest of situations in any worlds with lesser technology.

The church bells had only just finished tolling midnight when Yates' bell chimed. The team sat up, everyone on point as he moved over to the door and opened it a crack.

"Here's the address," Theona breathed quietly as she passed a slip of paper to Yates. "But it looks like she might be getting ready to move. Don't know if it's away, or into the palace, but you might want to be quick about it if you're going to pop off with her."

"Thanks, Theona," Yates replied just as quietly, handing her another little pouch. "This is for the extra danger. Take care, keep your heads low for a few days."

"Will do, Mr Yates. Good luck to the hunters." She skimmed down the stairs as quietly as she'd climbed them.

Yates glanced at the address then turned to Stringer. "She's at a small house on the edge of the area where the nobility live. We can be there in about half an hour."

"Excellent. Everyone ready?"

The team nodded.

"Then, let us hunt."

They moved down the stairs in single file, keeping their steps light and their voices low. Following Yates down streets and alleys, they passed houses that were becoming fancier and more expensive the farther they went from his home, and the closer they got to the 'high-class' area that made a large circle around the palace.

"There," Yates whispered. He pointed across the street to a house that still had a few dim lights showing behind the heavy curtains. "She's in the house on the corner. And it looks like she's still up."

Stringer glanced at Danny, who climbed swiftly onto the top of the wall behind them and engaged his far-sight, moving from one end of the wall to the other. In seconds he dropped to the ground beside them. "Both sides of the house have windows open we can get through. Not sure of the back, 'cos I can't see it, but if the sides are open there's a good chance one of us can get in that way, too."

"Excellent." Stringer turned to the team. "Let's make sure she can't bolt. Quinn, take the back. Marcus, the right; I'll take left. Blackwood, give us five minutes, then go to the door. Ditzy, you'll back her up. With your guard uniform it will just add verisimilitude to the charade."

"Got it." The team split up and ghosted around the sides and back to wait.

Stringer slid around the side of the house and waited to hear the door knocker. The moment it banged lightly, he heard Christine move to the front of the house. Sliding as silently as possible through the window, he crouched behind the curtain for a moment, listening.

"What do you want at this time of night?" Christine demanded. There was a moment's silence, then she continued. "I know you. You work for her. And you, you're on the king's guard." Sudden apprehension made her voice thin. "Why are you disturbing me?"

Stringer could almost feel her tensing for battle as he moved silently across the room to the door and slowly and carefully pulled it open. He was in luck. The front door that Christine was facing put her back to all three men who were converging on her on cat's-feet.

"I have a message for you from the Queen," Blackwood said stolidly, holding out a rolled-up and sealed sheet of paper.

"And I should care about that, why?" Christine snapped. "She's going to be out on her well-padded rear by the end of the day. Take that message back to her and tell her to shove this one where the sun doesn't shine." She started to slam the door, but Ditzy held out his arm and caught it.

Blackwood smirked. "I don't care what you say or what you think, usurper," she spat. "My only chore here is to give you this. After that, you do with it what you want."

Christine sighed and reached out for the paper. Blackwood struck like lightning, grabbing her wrist and pulling her forward, off balance. Stringer took the opportunity and shot Christine in the back. She tried to spin and use her ice, but Ditzy grabbed her and twisted her hands up behind her back as she collapsed onto the floor.

"Done." Stringer said with satisfaction as Ditzy checked Christine over.

"She's good for about half an hour," the empath said quietly.

Stringer opened a portal in the corridor. "Take her through, we'll follow in a couple of minutes."

Ditzy nodded and carried the unconscious woman through the portal.

"Yates, can you give us an idea where would be the best place to leave the note?"

Raising his eyebrows, the psychometrist wandered slowly around the room, touching various pieces of furniture with his eyes closed and a look of concentration on his face.

After making a circuit, he moved back to the centre of the room. "You'd think it would be best in the desk," he said, sounding mystified. "But from what the items are telling me, the most activity by the king – and yes, he's been here a number of times – has been over on the bookshelf." He nodded to the right-side shelving. "He always pulls out the Sonnets when he comes."

Stringer frowned. "But, will he be the one to come here if she disappears? Won't he just send guards?"

"If he sends guards and they find the message, he'll be suspicious. This kind of missive isn't for public consumption, now, is it? Trust me. He'll send troops, and when they can't find her, he'll come himself. If we leave it inside the Sonnets, with it peeking out the top where it can be seen, he'll go straight to it like a homing pigeon."

Still unhappy, Stringer agreed reluctantly. "You know the place and the people. Everyone, pack up what you think she'd take with her if she ran. At least a few changes of clothing, some food, and her toiletries, I think."

Quinn and Blackwood scattered to do what was needed, Quinn to the kitchen and Blackwood to the woman's private room, whilst Yates walked over to the bookcase and took out the Sonnets. Rifling through the pages, he chuckled as he chose where to put the note.

"Sonnet 116, I think," he said, grinning at Stringer, who just shook his head in amusement.

"A bit over the top, isn't it?"

"No, his ego will love it."

"So be it, then," Stringer said as Blackwood and Quinn returned, each carrying a case. "Get these through to ARC, hand them over, and come back right away. We need to get some rest before you go to your jobs."

They obeyed, and all of them were back at Yates' place in less than an hour. The team curled up to sleep for a while whilst Stringer and Yates worked on the final report. Between that and coming up with the excuses for their exits, Stringer was yawning by the time the sun rose. He took a nap once the team had headed out.

"How did it go?" Stringer asked as each of his people straggled through the door that evening.

"No problem," Blackwood said calmly. "The Queen said she would be very sorry to lose me, but of course my family takes priority." She smiled slightly. "She's actually a pretty nice woman, once you get past the starchy exterior."

Quinn snorted. "She has to be starchy, married to that twat. No problem with the head gardener." He grinned. "All I had to do was over-water the young potatoes, and he tossed me out the door like last week's garbage."

"I had a talk with the head guard," Ditzy said. "He understood when I told him my younger brother was ill and his family needed me to take over the farm. Most of the working people here are pretty nice."

"Yes, they are," Yates put in. "That's one of the reasons I stay here. People like the workers in the palace, kids like Theona and her cohort, they make it worthwhile." He smiled. "I don't really tell them back home how many times I give little 'pushes' to try to make things better." Then he sobered. "And I hope you don't tell them, either. It could get me pulled."

Stringer shook his head. "No, it won't. As long as we're not interfering in any way that could cause instability, it's okay as far as Lester's concerned to make things a bit easier when the world is going through difficult times. We just have to be very careful not to take away their freedom of choice."

"And in this case, Henry XX was a great leader, but his son sucks little green tree frogs, as Theona would say."

Stringer's eyes widened at the phrase, then he chuckled. "And hopefully, the next one along will be better, again."

They went silent as Yates' little bell chimed. He opened the door to find a grinning Theona on the other side, almost bouncing on her toes. She popped happily into the room, speaking almost before she was fully inside.

"You're not gonna believe it," she chirped. "The king is torn between being as smug as can be that his mistress was so taken with him, and being royally pissed off that she's gone so he can't bask in it; the queen is walking around with a smile on her face; and everyone else is ready to throw a party."

"That's great news, Theona," Yates said with relief apparent in his tone. "I'm really glad that everything's worked out well."

"It sure did!" she said happily as she spun on her heel and clattered down the stairs.

Stringer stood and held out his hand. "Thanks for everything."

Yates reached for it, and they clasped wrists. The rest of the team went on to do the same thing, leaving Yates a bit speechless at the honour. Stringer realised that in Yates' experience, it was the Team Lead alone who performed the formal grip.

"And we'll keep you apprised about Christine's plot, when we find out what it was," Stringer said as he opened a portal.

They all stepped through, and the last thing Stringer saw was Yates standing with his hand up to say goodbye.

~*~*~*~
Location: ARC

Ryan stopped pacing as Stringer and Becker, followed by their teams, came into the waiting area. The hopeful looks on their faces made him feel even worse.

"No change," he said, knowing his sadness and anger was coming through in his tone, but not giving a flying fuck. "Those bastards didn't just keep her sedated, they gave her some sort of psychotropic drugs. She can't seem to connect with the world, just sits there staring into the distance and humming."

He wasn't sure who looked more furious – Stringer, whom he expected, or Becker, who usually had a perfect poker face.

"Any word from the teams that are working on Christine and Burton?" Stringer asked.

Ryan shook his head. "They're both completely schtum. Not a word. The psych teams have been turned loose on them. Burton's harder, since his mind-block can keep anyone out. Christine is just screaming that her rights are being violated." He snorted. "Her rights as a citizen of ARC were revoked when she went Renegade, and she knows it."

Becker frowned. "So, no word on Helen from either one of them?"

"Not a fucking peep."

"Damn it."

Ryan went back to pacing, until Hemingway and Lewis arrived together and the lead doctor in the infirmary came in the other door at the same moment. Suspicious, Ryan wondered if the council had been apprised before they were that there had been a change in Abby's condition. His hunch was proven true when Hemingway glanced over at him and dropped one eyelid in a surreptitious wink.

Everyone crowded around the doctor, who raised his hands for silence. "Please, people, let me speak."

He looked around at them. "I know that Ms Maitland is very important to all of us, and I am pleased to be able to tell you that she's now conscious and aware of her surroundings. It took a couple of days for us to flush the drugs from her system, and she's pretty weak, but she knows us all and is very happy to be home."

Turning to Ryan, he added. "She wants to see you, Ms Lewis, and Mr Hemingway as soon as possible." Shaking his head in displeasure, he added, "She will not rest until she tells you what she knows."

"Then let us speak with her without delay," Hemingway said quietly. "The sooner she tells us what she needs to, the sooner she can rest." He glanced at everyone waiting with varying expressions of happiness at Abby's condition and disappointment that they couldn't visit, too. "We'll be back as soon as we can to update you all."

Ryan nodded at his team and the other Team Leads, and followed the doctor along the corridor to Abby's room.

"Ryan," Abby said weakly, holding out her hand. "Thanks." She shivered. "I'm so glad you found me."

"We never would have stopped looking," Ryan said quietly, a sentiment that was echoed by both Hemingway and Lewis.

"I just have to tell you before I lose it all," Abby said with another shiver. "I've already forgotten some of it. I think she did something to me."

Ryan felt his entire body tighten with fear. Helen's mind-control was one of the most dangerous of powers. She couldn't just control people, she could put thoughts in their minds that would only surface later, to the detriment of both the person she'd violated, and those around them.

Ryan sat on the side of the bed, still holding her hand. Charles and Jenny took the chairs beside the bed and gave her their full attention.

Leaning back, Abby spoke softly but firmly. "I don't remember most of the details, but I can assure you that unless she's even more subtle than we thought, she doesn't know that I overheard a lot of this."

The three watchers nodded. They understood. Ryan knew that Helen was a menace of the first order, accomplished and very dangerous, but she did tend to be fairly obvious once you know how her mind worked. She was as subtle as a hunting predator, but like any breed of predator, once you knew their preferred prey and usual stalking mode, you could get ahead of them.

"Her main goal was to have every team and every field agent running around like crazy trying to find me, to the point that she could, by herself, just walk in and take out the Council."

"That's insane," Hemingway blurted, uncharacteristically. "She isn't a teleporter, and the Council meets virtually, they're never in one place together."

"She thought that if she had the resources of ARC behind her," Abby replied tiredly, "that she'd be able to get to all of them at the same time."

"That's even more crazy," Jenny said. "There's no way she could just walk into ARC like that, even if all the field agents and teams are busy."

"If she had one of the portal devices that's keyed to a Cross-Reality Team, she could open a portal right outside Lester's office," Ryan said angrily. "The one she grabbed isn't keyed in."

"Damn it." Hemingway stood and started pacing. "If she does somehow manage to get hold of a keyed Portal device and use it to take over ARC, then using our resources she can send assassins to each member of the Council and murder them. She'll be able to set herself up as Empress of the Universe, or whatever her blinking mind wants to call herself."

Jenny made a disgusted face. "She could take over any reality, rob them of any or all of their resources – gold, uranium, even silks or find woods – and sit back and glory in her power over everyone who'd told her she was a fool."

Ryan gripped Abby's hand. "And even if she manages to overthrow only one of the governments, she would still have a ready-made backup queendom."

Abby's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I hope that she hasn't managed to do anything bad whilst you were looking for me."

Jenny jumped up and rushed over to hug her. "It isn't your fault, damn it," she said, her tone much kinder than her words. "She hasn't succeeded. And thanks to our coordinated search, local watchers in a lot of realities have been able to clue us in on activities there."

She motioned for Ryan to move, and sat beside Abby. "You've given us valuable information, Abby. Believe me, now that we've been warned in time thanks to you, we can handle this. Helen will be going down. I promise you. Now rest. Your team needs you to be well again."

Abby smiled as she looked at Ryan with a question in her eyes.

Shocked at it, he replied as quickly and firmly as he could, "Of course you're still part of Team 1. We miss you and need you. Get well."

Abby sighed and snuggled down under the covers as they left the room.

Hemingway was already talking to Lorraine, setting up a full Council meeting. He finished and turned to Ryan. "Join us?"

Ryan nodded. "Other Team Leads?"

Hemingway hummed, then agreed. "Yes, I think that the more people we give a heads up to, the safer we'll be." He contacted Lorraine again. "Please, also have the scientific and medical team heads join us as well."

Ryan wasn't sure they could keep Jenny's promise to Abby, but he was pretty damn sure they were going to do their best.

End

Comments

[telperion-15.livejournal.com]

Yikes, that's some plan of Helen's! But I'm really glad Abby is getting better, I was worried there for a moment that there was going tobe something more long-term wrong with her...

And of course Christine would be complaining about her non-existent rights being violated! *eg*

[goldarrow]

Thanks.
No, she's fine. :)

LOL Indeed. Christine is a bit of a narcissist.

I have an idea of what Helen's going to pull next.
*evil grin*

[fredbassett]

This was totally brilliant!!

Great ending, superb world-building, excellent plotting and some really fantastic OCs/

I loved this!

[goldarrow]

Thanks so much!

I do have some more ideas. :)

[purplecat]

Very satisfying ending - though I'm worried about that threat to the ARC.

[goldarrow]

*evil grin* You're right to be worried...

Thanks!

[thelibraniniquity]

Helen the plotter! I like it, but not so much the implications for the ARC and the wider multiverse. Glad Abby just needed some time to flush the drugs out, that was a big relief.

Great ending to this installment, and some lovely setup for a future adventure. What fun!

[goldarrow]

*g* Helen always has plans.

And yes, there will be horrors afoot in the future.

Thanks!

[fififolle]

What a Team!!! Absolutely cracking!
Theona was a wee whizz too. Loved those guys.
Why are the main twats the ones in charge!! Grrrrr!!!!
So glad Abby was OK, but she had a chilling insight....
And so the Team gathers strength and knowledge.
Hurrah, great fic, thank you!

[goldarrow]

Thanks so much!

Yeah, I rather liked the OCs in this one. :)

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I'm never sure about the huge team-fics.