Series 5 Episode 4
"A Deadly Foretelling"
​Written by DRWHOfan

​‘At least we know where our taxes are going…’ Claudia muttered under her breath. They were in the home secretaries office, for a ‘re-evaluation’ (as the home secretary had put it) of the ARC operations, after the last few disastrous escapades. Lester and Claudia had been shown to green leather chairs surrounding a beautifully carved wooden desk. The room was reasonably small and looked out onto the River Thames – the morning sun glinted on the river, as it shone through the heavy green curtains, draping to the floor. Claudia did not want to be in this meeting, she wanted to be with the team – she felt out of her depth here - enclosed in this box-like room with people who turned their noses down at her. If only they knew what she and the others had to battle everyday! 
‘I hope I have your full attention Ms. Brown…’ The home secretary was glaring dangerously at Claudia, her glasses resting on the peak of her nose. She wore a black suit to match her jet black hair and she was in her 30’s, powerful and at the top of her game.
‘Of course...’ Claudia put on her fake smile. ‘Fire away…’ 
‘Oh I will, but not yet - a prompt investigation and then, yes Claudia, people will be fired.’ She flicked through the wad of paper in front of her. Lester and Claudia exchanged a worried glance. 

***

Harry was sprinting through corridors. An anomaly had opened in an East-London school and she, Danny and Abby had been sent to investigate – little had they known about what was waiting for them. Five baby Megators (a cross between a Future Predator and a Megopteran) had infested in the school’s heating system - Danny and Abby had put most of them back through the anomaly but Harry was chasing the last one through the science block. And it was a fast one. A very fast one. 

It buzzed around in front of her, teasing her almost, as if it wanted to play tag. She had thrown various chemicals at it, but most of them had missed, burning up exercise books and bags instead. 

She lunged for it one last time but it flew straight threw her arms and over her head. It was only 30cm long, but it was causing a vast amount of trouble – half the school would have deteriorated by the time she caught it. 

Then she had a brainwave. She ran over and turned all the gas pipes on, frantically grabbing the nearest Bunsen burner. Danny and Abby turned up behind her.
‘What’s the plan?’ Danny asked casually.
‘Duck!’ Harry turned and winked. She flicked the Bunsen burner on and they ran out of the building – the Megator tried to follow but it was too late. The air set alight and the whole of the science block exploded, sending flames high into the air and a wave of heat across the school. 
Harry, Danny and Abby ran out of the dust coughing. ‘You blew up half a school just because of one, tiny, creature?’ Danny looked at her bewildered. 
‘It was a fast one.’ She replied in her defence. 

The evacuated school children, who were waiting at the gates, cheered in happiness and their teachers gawped in horror. Danny strolled over. ‘It’s okay, were the government.’ He swiped his ARC pass in front of the head teacher’s eyes and strolled out of the grounds. The anomaly had been locked, the creatures dealt with and they had just made 1000 school children very happy. 

Abby ran over to Harry. ‘Look what we found’ She handed it over and Harry had a close examination. 
‘It’s a camcorder, what’s so special about that?’ Harriet replied.
‘From the future!’ Abby was getting excited. ‘I know it’s dusty and in a very bad way, but Sarah’s an archaeologist. She’ll probably be able to put it back together.’
‘Where did you find it?’ Harriet was becoming more interested now.
‘It was just on the floor next to the anomaly. I don’t know how it could have got there.’ 
‘It could be a trap. Someone could have put it there for us to find?’ Harry replied.
‘Harry…It’s a camcorder, not a bomb!’ 
They jumped into the car and sped off at top speed. Little did they know about what the camera was, why it was there and who put it there, but events were unravelling very fast and soon, the ARC would change forever…

***

Lester and Claudia filed in behind the home secretary, into a bigger and full conference room. They sat down in the middle of the table and the home secretary sat opposite, powerful and motionless men and women surrounded them. Lester was fiddled with his collar. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable too, they weren’t re-evaluating them, they were grilling them – slowly and painfully. 
‘I’m just going to open a window…’ Lester got up, cutting through the tension.
‘Sit down James.’ She spoke in a harsh tone. 
‘Excuse me?’ 
‘We’re not in the prehistoric anymore. I’ll just turn the air conditioning on…’ She got up and walked over to a box on the wall.
‘We may not be in the prehistoric, but there is certainly one dinosaur in the room!’ Lester whispered to Claudia, pointing at the home secretary. The home secretary gave him one of her signature ‘death stares’ as she returned to her seat. 
‘Enough of the dinosaur wit James.’ She looked at Lester. ‘Unless you want it to affect this re-evaluation, I suggest you keep your mouth firmly closed.’ 

***

Sarah examined the camcorder Abby had just given her. ‘Yes, I can easily put this back together.’ She placed it down onto her desk. ‘Are you sure it’s important?’
‘Of course... It’s from the future. It may be interesting to see what’s saved on its memory.’ 
‘Well, I’ve got nothing else to do… I guess I’ll get to work.’ 
‘Thanks Sarah, see you later!’ Abby dashed out of the room. 
An anomaly had just opened at a Safari Park and the team were on their way now.

Sarah scrubbed of some dirt, revealing a logo. ‘Helmont cameras. Hmmm... This may be interesting after all.’ She grabbed some of her tools and began prizing open the camera’s reel. After a few minutes, the side suddenly popped open and a camera reel flew out and onto the floor. Sarah picked it up and walked over to Jess and the Anomaly detector.
‘Jess… Can you plug this into the detector please?’
She swivelled round in her chair. ‘Sure… though it may take a while to recognise the software.’ 
‘That’s fine; tell me when it’s done.’ Sarah walked off down the corridor to fetch Jenny, wondering what could be stored on the reel. But she wouldn’t have to wonder for much longer. All would be revealed it a few minutes and it would tear the ARC down, one brick at a time…

***

Connor tried to lock the anomaly again. It failed again. ‘What the hell is up with you?’ He banged his fist on the anomaly locking mechanism. It made no difference.
They were at a Safari Park in the midlands and for some reason, to Connor’s anger, the anomaly was not locking.
‘Do you think something could be interfering with the anomaly?’ Mia suggested.
‘Possibly, I just don’t know.’ He banged the machine again. Mia, Harry and Cutter surrounded him. He was working under pressure. Abby and Danny came running in…
‘We’ve evacuated everyone on the west section of the park, though the attractions remain open. The owner has only given us two hours so we haven’t got long, do we know what’s the matter with this?’
‘Nope.’ Connor stated.
‘Guess that cleared everything up.’ Danny walked over to the car and began trying to radio in to Jess.
‘One thing I did notice…’ Abby began. ‘The animals all over the zoo were going crazy. The openly-grazing animals have run as far away from this anomaly as possible. Could that be something to do with it?’
‘The 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka. All the elephants ran to the highest ground possible before the tsunami stuck.’ Harriet replied.
‘Animals have an instinct we can’t detect, something that tells them when a disaster is about to happen. Maybe that’s why they’re trying to get away now…’ Cutter added. 
The team looked round at each other. ‘Something bad is going to happen… and it’s got something to do with this anomaly…’ 

***

‘So the way I see it we have two options...’ The home secretary began, taking her glasses off and rubbing them with a cloth. ‘Option one: A re-evaluation of the ARC operations and its employees. She paused. ‘Option two… the closure of the ARC with immediate effect.’ Claudia spat out the drink in her mouth, the water splattering the Home Secretary’s laptop.
‘You have no authority to do this.’ Claudia declared.
‘We have every authority – the PM himself organised this meeting.’ She remarked, wiping the water off her laptop.
‘And under what grounds could you operate this closure?’ Lester leaned in closer. 
‘I have all the grounds needed.’ She began. ‘The influence of Helen Cutter on the ARC operations, the death of Captain Becker and Stephen Hart, Lily Nash, the hiring of an un-trained individual from a television talent show…?’
Claudia butted in defending Lloyd, ‘He showed great abilities in our field of work.’
‘Yet, he still got trapped in the future and so did you, James. The dealings with Aplo Sparks?’
‘That is all forgotten.’ Lester muttered.
‘Not by me…’ She continued. 
'And Lily Nash? Who's that?' Claudia asked.
'Oh you don't know do you, I suppose it's better if you don't know who she is... or rather, was.' she giggled, ‘Not to mention the leak of the ARC Operations over the internet and in the media across the globe.’ She paused for a moment. ‘I think that’s all the grounds covered… how about a vote?’ The table muttered and nodded their heads in agreement; Claudia and Lester didn’t know what to say. ‘All in favour of option one?’ 
Claudia and Lester shot their hands up; a few other members of the board raised their hands slowly. 
‘All in favour of option two?’ The majority of the table raised their hands, including the home secretary. 
‘That’s decided then. The ARC operations will close with immediate effect. Miss Brown… James, you may return to the home office, the rest – well they can find their own way. All operations will be handed over to the secret service until a permanent alternative placement can be created.’
‘How dare you…’ Lester began. ‘You cannot do this… this isn’t even a proper hearing.’
She ignored him and continued. ‘Thank you for your time, meeting adjourned.’ The members began to leave as the home secretary loaded her case up with files.
‘Thank you for your time, Ms. Brown and Mr. Lester’ She snapped her case closed.
‘Time? TIME?’ Lester began. ‘Next time I face a Velociraptor, I’ll be sure to send it your way.’ 
‘But you won’t will you James? You’re fired…’ She giggled, slamming the door behind her; the vases on the plinths wobbled dangerously.
‘What are we going to do?’ Claudia asked, turning to James, her eyes welling up with tears. ‘Everything we’ve faced, everything we’ve done and everything we’ve been through.’
‘I don’t know - it all happened so fast…’ James muttered. ‘I really don’t know…’ 

***

‘Sarah! Jenny!’ Jess called out over the building’s loudspeaker. They came running in; Sarah had informed Jenny all about the camcorder. 
A news bulletin was playing on the Anomaly Detector’s many screens. 
‘What’s this?’ Sarah asked.
Jess turned, tears running down her face. 
‘What’s the matter?’ Jenny walked over to Jess and put her arm round her. ‘What is it?’ 
‘On the camcorder… from the future - it was a news bulletin. It’s from later today.’
‘What?’ Sarah walked over, her eyes transfixed on the screen. It was an aerial shot of the safari park that the team were at, but it didn’t look right. Hundreds of huge crocodiles were charging across the park, fires were burning and people were screaming. 
‘When is this from again?’ Sarah asked, a tone of fear in her voice.
‘Today…at 19:42.’ Jess was crying heavily now.
‘What time is it now?’
Jenny looked down at her watch. ’20 past three.’
‘Oh my god, we need to contact them now.’ Sarah replied. 
‘That isn’t the worst part…’ Jess began. 
‘What?’ Jenny asked. A man’s voice came over the clip. 
‘We are also deeply sad to report the death of Nicholas Cutter and the injuries of three other civilians’ 
The team were too shocked to speak or do anything. They were transfixed, their eyes blankly staring at the terror that was unfolding before them and the terror that was about to begin. 

***

‘What was that?’ Harriet asked Connor, who was desperately trying to fix the anomaly locker, but had looked up.
‘Did you hear that roar aswell?’
‘Yeah… it was very close.’
‘Guys…’ Connor shouted. ‘May want to check this out?’ The rest of the team rushed over.
‘What is it?’ Cutter asked. 
‘Something’s coming through the anomaly. Something big.’ 
The anomaly rippled into life as a huge head poked its way through.
‘Run!’ Danny shouted. The team split in opposite directions. A huge twelve metre crocodile pounded its way through the anomaly. It was a Saurosuchus. But this wouldn’t be the only creature coming through - on the other side of the anomaly was a whole herd of these creatures, ready and waiting - they were going to attack and only one thing would be certain….

People were going to die. 

***

ONE WEEK LATER…

Jenny sat down in the church as the rain splattered against the stained glass window. The figures imprinted on the window were crying – or was it just the rain? 
The light shone through the open door and thunder rumbled overhead. People were talking, yet Jenny didn’t want to hear. The ARC team had been torn apart; her world had collapsed in on her. It was all their fault, they hadn’t got there in time, when they had got there, it had all been over. Lots of people had come to the funeral, most of which she didn’t know, although, Sarah, Claudia and Jess had turned up to show their support. Lloyd also came to pay his respects, which she had appreciated, but she didn’t want to speak to him… or anyone for that matter. 
She wanted to pay her respects to the death of a remarkable man. Nick Cutter. 
‘May he rest in peace…’ She muttered, throwing soil down on his coffin. 

She stepped over the various gravestones and statues and made her way back to the car. Government officials surrounded the church; their suits were soggy and wet from the storm raging above them. It was only midday, but the sky was as black as night. As Jenny put one foot in the car, she noticed something. A blinding light and a flash, then a figure – a woman, beckoning her to come closer. 

Jenny got out of the car and trudged back through the Church gate. The woman turned and began moving deeper into the graveyard. ‘Wait!’ Jenny shouted as she started to run – the rain lashed down like bullets, smashing into the ground at an unstoppable speed and rebounding water back up. Then, as she came to the top of the hill, she saw the woman, just a few metres away. She was staring at her, Jenny recognised her, yet she couldn’t remember who she was. 
‘Who are you?’ Jenny shouted across the graveyard. The woman didn’t reply.
‘Why are you here? Are you here for the funeral?’ This time, the woman did reply. 
‘I’m doing what I have to do and what you just told me to do.’ She sounded very frail, almost as if her life was completely drained from her, like she had been defeated. She clicked something in her pocket and an anomaly opened. 
‘How?’ Jenny was confused to say the least. She approached the anomaly, it was like she was in a trance – she couldn’t stop herself from going through, the anomaly was pulling her in. She turned for the woman’s help, but it was no use. She had disappeared. Jenny screamed as she was engulfed by the anomaly. It whizzed to a close shortly after.