"THE BIG man wants me to do a routine check up on you volt-guns," Luca pointed to the weapon the closest guard held, hoping his glasses were steamed up enough that they didn't see his rapid blinking.

Dear God dear God dear God ... He shouldn't have been using God's name in vein, but he was sure the big G-man would let it slide this once. After all, he was trying to save humanity.

The closest guard - Luca was sure his name was David - scoffed, squishing his eyes up in a squint. "What would be going wrong with the volt-guns?" He questioned, and Luca didn't miss his companion's rolling eyes.

Luca put his hands on his hips, and had barely taken a breath before the words started to gush out of him in a spew of nerves. "Even the thickest of the thick men here know that the rebels are coming, my guy. Would you rather shoot yourselves or overheat the barrel than let me check them out? 'Cause, if that's what you'd prefer," Luca lifted his sweating palms up and took a step back, widening his eyes like it was no big deal (it totally was), "then don't mind me..."

The guards exchanged a glance, then the one who had rolled his eyes before offered his volt-gun to Luca. He could barely hide his relief, and he quickly took hold of the weapon before the guard could change his mind. Spurred by his friend's actions, the other marine gave Luca his volt-gun too.

"Thanks, guys," Luca shot them both a grin he hoped didn't wobble. "You made the right choice!"

Luce twisted around and high-stepped his way over tent pegs towards his own, wheeling underneath the entrance just before dumping the guns on the ground in front of Des, whose eyes widened. "You got two?"

"I got two." Luca shot a glance over his shoulder, then pushed his glasses further up. Their lenses were steamed up with humidity. Maybe I should've gotten the EyeSeeYou procedure done when I had the chance ... "We've gotta hurry. Ichabod may have let me check up on the volt-guns, but I'm not gonna trust those thugs on not coming back in here to get them again."

Des nodded, and with practiced hands, took apart one of the volt-guns. Shiny metal and small solar panels gleamed at the them as Luca knelt beside his friend, watching Des pluck the fuse card from the contraption without really seeing him do it.

Tina ... Luca could feel, deep down, that something had happened to her. She hadn't come back from her interrogation with Ichabod, but even while he'd spoken with the British man, there had been no subtle way to ask of her whereabouts. Ichabod had shrugged it off, agreeing to him being able to check for any malfunctions on the volt-guns. There was nothing more to be done, though thinking that made Luca's insides feel cold.

I'll find you, he vowed, taking hold of the other volt-gun so his hands had something to do - and with that, his mind. I promise, Tina.

"Now what?" Des fixed his gaze on Luca's. Luca blinked, trying to refocus.

"We need something like a transmitter. A walkie-talkie, or something ... and something like a TV dish. A solar panel would probably work fine, with a few tweaks." Electromagnetic pulses should be able to be picked up on the terrestrial satellite, Luca reckoned. Connecting that with the card would get the satellite to recognize all volt-guns in an area. The larger the array dish, the better, but they couldn't make it look conspicuous.

"And silicone, though that could be used with the solar panel," Luca added. His mind buzzed with the possibilities. Silicone ... silicone. Silicone resuscitator!

"Doctor Royson!" Luca blurted, as Des reassembled the volt-gun. The other technician eyed him worriedly. "We need to get to her! The resuscitators that could be used ... we could use the silicone for the transmitter!"

Luca let go of the volt-gun he was holding, bringing his hand to his mouth instead. He tried to hide the small that was growing across his lips. One of shock, and of pride that things were finally coming together.

But first, Luca realized, with a small dip in his stomach, we need to find out whether or not Doctor Royson will be on our side ...

Amelia watched quietly as, in the distance, sparks of light and cutting construction noises could be heard. They interrupted the Jurassic air, and the bugs and squalls of unseen flying reptiles came second best in the roar of Ichabod's plan.

It was so frustrating, just sitting, and not being able to do anything. Her hands were clammy on her crutch, her leg dangled in front of her as she sat on the edge of the ledge that the water of the fall thundered down. Below her, the steam of the geyser-heated pool rose and buffeted her face, though her sweat was more from fever than the heat.

Her wounds were infected, and there was nothing she could do about it - just like she couldn't do anything to stop Ichabod, alone on a cliff.

"Amelia? You good?" It was Tina, being double with her hand over her roughly bandaged torso. Her smile was weak, and her face pale. The other girl crumpled up beside Amelia.

"You shouldn't be walking around," Amelia scolded lightly, though her heart was warmed that Tina had decided to sit alongside her. She felt like she was isolating herself from everybody she loved ... first Daryl, then Royson, then Lale.

Lale.

He was with James, his unofficial second-in-command. James seemed younger than Lale, but seemed level with him in battle prowess. Amelia didn't know what to feel about the other marine. He'd snuck in, almost too quietly, alongside Lale's side.

Don't be negative, Amelia chided herself. He just wants to help. He's doing a better job of it than I am, anyway ...

Tina released a breathy laugh, her spine shuddering into Amelia's side. They sat in contented silence, while the ringing of distant shouts and metal grinding could be heard from the plateau below.

"It would've been so perfect." It was out of her mouth before Amelia could stop it. She looked down, at her dangling legs, to hide the moistness of her eyes. "Then Ichabod went and ruined it."

Tina sighed. Amelia knew there was no point in crying over spilt milk, and she half expected Tina to say that straight to her face. But the the thought of what could've been, well, it hurt.

Should've been.

"It can still be," Tina murmured softly. Amelia swept her hair from her face, wishing she could share Tina's positivity, for the sake of her own sanity. If they didn't stop Ichabod (or at least try), she would never be able to forgive herself for putting Daryl in danger.

"Once all of this is done," Tina waved her hand dismissively, and Amelia could see her face curl up in a smile from the corner or her eye, "we can finally do what we want, when we want. No more P.A.S.T. running after us, like back at Area 51."

Amelia found herself grinning too. That did sound enticing. "And we can make our own city, and name it after something like cool ..."

"And make our own style of fashion," Tina added, with a gesture to her bloodied-and-bandaged getup. Amelia couldn't hold back from laughing, their conversation so wild and so true (because they were gonna create a new world, weren't they?), her heart actually lifted in what felt like forever.

"And love who we want." Amelia finally said, more quietly, with a pang in her throat. The two women relaxed against each other, and she could sense Tina was thinking about Luca, just like her mind dithered between Zoey and Lale.

Zoey; so bright and helpful and beautiful. Just like a doctor should be, but their relationship not one that had strengthened. At least, and that was the only small consolation, Zoey was on Amelia and Lale's side.

Lale ... Quietly strong. Far more intricate than a grump, who had cared for her, and who she had turned away. Even thinking about that hurt something deep inside Amelia, and it stung like betrayal.

"That too," Tina murmured. And Amelia tried to be content, even for a little while.

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