Future Hearts (A Primeval Story)

Future Fungus Part 2

My breathing has increased greatly as I stare wide eyed at the glass above me; now covered in what I assume to be the exploded fungus. Slowly standing back up, I struggle to move my eyes from the dark brown substance as people move around me. "Result! Yes." Connor celebrates, high-fiving Danny while Sarah lets out a small relieved laugh. A small smile comes to my face as I realise that the thing is dead. It's gone. We've found a way to kill it.

Well that was easier than I thought it would be. Now all we have to do is hope Jenny, Abby and Becker have found the other people exposed to the fungus.

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"If baking worked, burning's going to be even better. We're going to incinerate it." Connor informs Lester as we rush around, packing the truck with flamethrowers. "Makes sense." Lester nods to Conner as I struggle to pick a flame thrower up. "Whoa, what do you think you're doing?" Lester asks realising Danny is also holding a flamethrower. "What does it look like?"

"Oh, that's a great idea. Let's send a criminal onto the streets with a flame thrower!" I roll my eyes at the irony of him, the ex inspector, being called a criminal. "I'm not a criminal."

"Well, you broke in here." Lester points out as I busy myself putting another flamethrower into the boot of the truck. "Yeah, well, I didn't steal anything, did I?"

"You're splitting hairs. The point is, a) you should be in custody, b) you're not part of the team."

Having had enough, I jump into the conversation. "He's done a pretty good job for us."

"Twice." Connor adds as he nods, agreeing with me. "Three times, actually." Danny corrects walking around a rather bewildered looking Lester. "We need all the help we can get, Lester. I think, we should trust him." Sarah also throws in her two bits before getting into the back of the truck. "Fantastic! You've been here five minutes and I've already got a mutiny on my hands- Do you know how to use that thing?" He cuts himself off when Danny walks to the truck with another flamethrower. "No, but I mean how hard can it be?"

"Right, he goes, you two geniuses stay here." James says pointing at me and a rather disappointed Connor. I nod in acceptance, "okay."

"You're kidding? I so wanted to fire this." I scoff while rubbing his back in mock condolences. "Find a way to stop this before it infects anyone else. I don't want any more Fungus the Bogeymen!" Lester is about to leave when he must remember something and turns back to where Danny is already in the car with the engine on and the window down. "The management accepts no responsibility for personal loss or injury!" He shouts over the engine before leaving and Danny starts to drive. "Good luck!" I shout as they go past and he sends me a smirk making me shake my head at him.

When we get back to outside the lab I can't help but chuckle at Connors expression of fear. "Just look at those plants. Abby is so going to kill me."

"Yep." I pop the 'p' which makes him roll his eyes slightly before they focus on something else. Following his eye line my own widen as I realise what he is looking at. "Lupin!" I sigh in relief as I see the small direwolf pup inside the opened vent. "That's where you are." Connor mutters as I turn to him with a raised eyebrow silently telling him to start moving. "Great, now I have to go back in. This day just keeps getting better!" He opens the door and walks in without putting his hazmat helmet on.

I watch anxiously to get the pup back. Connor stands up on a ledge and seems to start talking to the direwolf as it tries to get away from him by backing back into the vent. The chuckle I didn't even realise was coming from my lips is cut short when I see Connor knock a whole two beakers of the saline enhancer off the ledge and onto, what I thought was, the destroyed fungus. My pervious thoughts were proven wrong when the fungus starts to spread rapidly again. Panicking I look up from it to Connor who is already looking at me with a gobsmacked expression. Pressing the button I barely contain my alarm, "Connor, you need to get out of there. Now!"