E watched Evan from afar for the rest of the day, to see how he dealt with the creatures.
And she was pleased with the way he handled the situation, and avoided talking to the press. Which made her feel more confident about leaving him to his own devices.
When Evan had succeeded in returning a young boy to his parents, E sat down on a nearby bench, hoping that he would approach her, as there was more that she needed to say to him.
"Hello again" said Evan, as he joined her on the bench.
"Hello" replied E.
"Where's your friend?" Asked Evan.
"He's talking to his family right now. He doesn't know that I'm here" answered E, who knew that Connor wouldn't approve of what she was doing.
"Who are you people?" Questioned Evan.
"Who we are is not important. But what we do, is"
"So you work with anomalies?"
"Yes. Back home it is our job to keep the anomalies secret, and make sure that all the creatures go back to their own time"
"I couldn't put the dinosaurs back through today"
"I know. Sometimes it is not always possible to get them home. And saving lives must always come first, so I'm not angry with you. You did what you had to do to save that boy".
"Were you watching me the whole time?" Quizzed Evan.
"Yes. I was watching you in the park today. I wanted to see how you were going to deal with the situation" admitted E.
"And did I do well? Did I meet your expectations?" Asked Evan.
"Trust me, if you hadn't, you would know about it"
"How long have you been watching me?"
"Only a few days. We go home tomorrow though, so you will have no one watching your back. It will all be up to you".
"I don't know if I can do it. I mean, it's a massive responsibility" admitted Evan.
"Yes, it is. It can be a curse. But it is also a gift. Who else gets to experience a time before humanity? Although, I would advise you to not make too many trips through the anomalies. It is better if you just deal with the threats that come through them, instead of venturing into their time. It's hard enough keeping the time line in check as it is. And there are too many things that could go wrong if you constantly go though the anomalies" warned E.
"So, no going through the anomalies, and no killing the creatures. Is there anything else you want to tell me not to do?".
"Yes. Under no circumstances should you interfere with the anomalies. The creatures aren't the only threat. I've seen the world nearly end because someone tried to mess around with technology that he did not understand. The anomalies are not to be used for our gain, do you understand?" Questioned E.
"I think so" replied Evan.
"That's not good enough. I need you to swear that you won't meddle with the anomalies. They are too powerful for mankind to mess around with"
"Alright, I swear".
"I know that I can't stop you from tracking down the anomalies and the escaped creatures, without locking you up, which is something I don't want to do. So I am just going to have to trust that you will follow my rules, and do the right thing. I'm not someone who trusts easily, so you had better not let me down" informed E.
"I really wish you would give me more information" admitted Evan.
"I can't. I may not have signed the Official Secrets Act, like my friend, but I'm still going to withhold certain things from you. You're a scientist, like myself, so you should know that all knowledge has to be earned. You can't cheat by having someone give you all the answers".
"Even if cheating would save lives in the long run?" Asked Evan.
"No, not even then. There are some things that are more important than the odd human life. And I will do whatever it takes to make sure that nothing unravels the timeline... You see, I'm not like my friend. I don't have a past, present and future. I only have a past. Everything that is happening around us right now, is history to me. I know what the future holds, and I won't have anyone interfering with it" warned E.
"Where do you come from?" Questioned Evan.
"Nowhere and everywhere. I myself am an anomaly. I don't exist anywhere. But I am not important, so don't waste your time searching the internet for me. Because you won't find anything, and it would be a huge waste of your time" admitted E.
"Are you even human?" Asked Evan.
"That's a tough one. If what makes us human is our humanity, then no. But if what makes us human is based on who our parents were, then yes. However, my DNA has become so corrupted over the years, that I can hardly call myself a human anymore".
"What happened to you?" Evan asked softly.
"A lot of things. Many of which I cannot share with you... And now I think it is time that I headed back, before my friend starts to worry about me" sighed E, as she jumped up off the bench.
"But you can't go, please, there is so much more that I don't know. Please stay" begged Evan.
"I can't. There are people waiting for me back home. Besides, you've got enough information to do your job successfully. So you don't need me".
"I do need you" insisted Evan.
"Well, I can't help you, I'm sorry... I will be watching from affar though. To make sure that you are following my rules. But don't expect me to jump in and save you, if you get yourself in a sticky situation. I will only intervene if I think you are going to screw up the timeline" revealed E.
"Will I ever see you again?" Asked Evan.
"Yes. I think you will. But until then, goodbye Evan".
YOU ARE READING
Relative Strangers (book 3) Nature VS Nurture
FanfictionE Cutter has finally started adjusting to her life in the 21st century, working alongside the ARC team. She has started to trust all of the team, and not just Matt, which has opened a new chapter in her life. Although life at the ARC is almost perfe...
