Still an Abandoned Warehouse - London

[itsananomaly]

Cutter didn’t know how much time had passed since they had gotten out of the room with Leek and the future predators … he was never going to get that screaming out of his head, he had never liked the man but being ripped apart like that … no one deserved that. It was all he could do to keep holding on to Stephen as they made their way through what felt like the endless maze of the warehouse. “Are we nearly there?” he panted, trying to see if he could see a possible sign of an exit … the hallway they were in, didn’t look very promising. He was in agony, he just wanted to stop and sleep but he knew they couldn’t, they had to keep going. [part ten. CW for NPC character death. Adapted from Series 2 Episode 7 'The Menagerie'. Preplayed as always with the amazing anomaly_research_nerd. NFB but OOC welcome!]

Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Getting closer Nick..." Stephen panted as they went on. "Almost... there..." He really had no idea how Cutter was still even moving at this point. And as hard as he was trying not to show it, the pain etched on Connor's face was evident as well. Stephen tightened his hold around Cutter's waist and put his other now free arm out to pull Connor's arm over his shoulder. He couldn't go along basically dragging both of them along as he went... but he had to keep them moving.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor tried to keep going without Stephen's help but he was already starting to lean into him slightly, as the pain tightened its hold on him, making it hard to even breathe. He tried to keep his focus on their goal, on escape, on getting out. "You got this, Nick..." he said, his own voice getting hoarse and shallow as his lungs started to burn. "We're... almost... there" he said, as much as to will himself on as to keep Cutter going.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter really had no idea how he was still going at this point either ... his entire body was screaming at him and he was in so much pain but they had to keep moving, they were so close to getting out of there, he just had to hold on a little more ... He let out a cry of pain, he couldn't help it, "ok...ay...I think I can get there, if it's not far ... I ... I don't know how much longer I can hold out," he managed to gasp out.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen just kept on, driving on ahead as best he could. But after a few minutes, his steps slowed and he came to a stop when he found themselves entering a large open room. He looked around and then closed his eyes. "Crap..." he muttered as he leaned back against the nearest wall, trying to catch his breath. Slowly he let Cutter slide down, guiding him till he was sitting on the ground and helped Connor sit as well. Stephen leaned against the wall, breathing hard as he looked around again to make sure he wasn't mistaken as he spoke again. "I know where we are."
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor looked at Stephen questioningly but wasn’t going to complain about the chance to sit and try and catch his breath. He wasn't sure how he was going to force himself back to his feet, but that was a problem for later. At that moment, he was just trying to get air back into his lungs. "What... where are we Stephen?" he finally gasped when he could manage to get words out past the pain.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter really didn't like where this conversation was going as he tried to steady himself against the wall where he had slid down, he really didn't know how he was going to get back up again, "Stephen...what - " he had to take a breath as he struggled to speak, "what are you talking about? Wh...what's going on?"
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen leaned over, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath still and he looked over at Cutter then to Connor. "There was a lot more going on than Helen trying to get you to join her, Nick... Leek had his own plans..." Stephen took in a deep breath. "He was keeping creatures from the anomalies, here, under containment, in this room." "What... what kind of creatures?" Connor asked, his eyes going wide at that. "Silurian scorpion, a pair of raptors, the sabertooth...." Stephen shook his head. "He had a full menagerie in here, in addition to the future predators. But... obviously... they aren't here. They must have gotten out... when... when we cut the power."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter's heart sank at that, "we can't leave now," he said desperately, "if we don't contain them ... we can't let them get out of the warehouse ..." he let out another groan of pain as he tried to steady his breathing, "how ... is there any way to lure them back here without chasing them?" He knew none of them were in positions to do that, not now.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen leaned against the wall, trying to think of something. Then he looked at Cutter as a thought dawned on him. "There was an alarm that sounded every time they were fed. Leek was training them to respond to the sound, to try and control them.... We... we could lure them all back here. Lock them in with the predators, seal the place tight..." "They'd be trapped and end up killing each other," Connor said with a sudden realization. "Do... do you think it.. will actually work?" "We have to try," Stephen said as he pushed himself off the wall with a groan. "We don't have any other choice. Nick's right, we can't let them get out. The creatures would be bad enough but... the future predators... they'll destroy the human race if they get out."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"Okay we do that ...we can do that" Cutter braced himself and slowly tried to get in a position where he could get himself to stand but the second he tried to put pressure on his hands he let out a scream of agony and half collapsed to the side with the effort that that took, tears sprang to his eyes at the intense burst of pain as he tried to get himself in a position to stand up. "I'm ... I don't think I can move," he realised, looking at Stephen and Connor, that he wasn't going to be able to help them ... that he was completely useless.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor grabbed hold of Cutter to keep him from hitting the ground as he collapsed. He looked up at Stephen, who just put a hand up and gave them both a sad smile. "I'll take care of it. Connor, get Cutter through the door over there" he said, nodding to the doorway just a few feet away. "I'll sound the alarm and lure the creatures back. There's a control panel outside the door we can use to seal the room once they are in. Nothing will be able to get out." Connor nodded and then looked down at Cutter and gave him a small apologetic smile. "Come on Nick, just a couple steps and we'll be in the clear," he said trying to bite back the pain as he stood up himself and reached down to try and get Cutter, resigning himself to dragging him the few feet to safety if he had to.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter whimpered but he knew that he had to do this, biting back a scream of pain, with Connor's help he somehow managed to get into a standing position and nearly toppled over again. He reached out blindly for Connor to stop himself from falling over again, this time he couldn't stop the scream of agony that escaped.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor held onto Cutter the best he could, slowly working them step by agonizing step towards the door. When they finally reached the doorway, Connor turned and looked over his shoulder at Stpehen and gave a nod. Once they were on the other side, he gently lowered Cutter to the ground and then sank down beside him, leaning against the wall as he watched Stephen through the doorway.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Once he knew they were safe on the other side, Stephen punched the button to sound the feeding alarm. At first he was worried it wasn't going to work, but then he heard the snarls and cries of the creatures getting louder as they raced through the corridors towards where he was. When he was certain they were almost there, Stephen took off running across the room toward the doorway where Cutter and Connor were waiting. Once he was through the door, Stephen leaned against the door trying to close it. It wouldn't budge. No matter how much of his strength he put into it, the door would not budge. "It's not going to close..." he said as the sickening realization hit. "the only controls that will work.... are in there," he said his eyes darting to the room that was already echoing with the cries of the creatures racing down the halls.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter closed his eyes at Stephen's words as the realisation of what that meant hit him, "one of us has to stay behind," he managed to get out, "we cannot let those creatures through ... it ... " he opened his eyes, looking between Stephen and Connor, "I'll do it ... both of you, you can still make it ... I'll only slow you down, it has to be me," he trembled slightly but after facing death so many times already, he had finally accepted it on his own terms ... he had made peace that he was going to die down here. He tried to take a few steps towards the door but stopped as the pain became almost paralysing and he couldn't move any further. .
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor just stared at Cutter, the panic setting in. He had been trying to save Cutter... Always in the back of his mind was the fear he'd have to watch him die... again. He wanted to save them both. Even after everything he had done, Stephen didn't deserve to die. Connor got to his feet with a groan of pain and staggered a couple of steps, putting himself between Cutter and the door. "I... I can't let you do this, Nick... I can't...it.. it..." Connors voice cracked as he looked from Cutter to Stephen, the realization of how hopeless their situation was hitting him and driving the breath out of him.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen watched as Connor tried to take a couple steps towards the door, just to collapse himself. Stephen knelt down in front of Connor and Cutter, blocking their access to the door. He gave them a soft sad smile. "You both are going to get out of here," he said simply. "The exit to the outside is just down there. You both are going to get out of here, understand? I'm doing this."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter's heart sank as Stephen announced that he was going to be the one to stay behind and he immediately started shaking his head, wincing at the effort that that took. "No ... Stephen, no ... please ... it has to be me, let me do this please, I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry for everything ... please," he begged, "take Connor, go ... Connor can sort things out with Lester," he trembled, the tears now falling from his eyes as he tried to struggle to stand, to get to the door. "As long as you and Connor both live, that's all that matters to me, I have to be the one to do this, please Stephen ..." he cried.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen looked at Cutter sadly and reached out, putting a trembling hand on the side of his face. God, he had messed things up so badly.... He shook his head slowly. "Sorry...I'm taking this one Nick," he said simply. "There's nothing out there for me anymore anyways." Stephen leaned in and placed a long, soft kiss to Cutter's forehead as he closed his eyes. "I love you, Nick" he whispered softly into Cutter's hair as a couple of silent tears fell before he finally pulled back and stood. Stephen looked back over at Cutter and then to Connor. "Take care of Nick for me, Connor. Do what I couldn't. Be what I couldn't be for him." And with one last soft smile, Stephen walked through the door, the heavy metal frame clanging and locking shut behind him.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter completely broke. His whole world shattered as Stephen stepped through the door and he wasn’t sure if he cried out or made any noise, for a while there was no sound at all. Maybe he had blocked out the sound of Stephen’s death because it was too hard to bear. His cheeks felt wet and he realised he was crying but he tried desperately to move to that door, to try and reach out at Stephen … it couldn’t end like this. Stephen. Stephen couldn’t be gone. His best friend, his lover … all those memories that they’d shared. It couldn’t be over like this. At some point he dimly became aware that he was screaming as the sound came flooding back to him, the reality that he was facing … a world without Stephen in it. He kept screaming, yelling … yelling at his broken body to move to that damn door, there was still a chance that this was just a terrible nightmare, that Stephen was still there, what good were all these damn anomalies if they couldn’t slow time itself, there had to be a way to get time to stop. “STEPHEN!” he screamed and then he collapsed in an exhausted, sobbing heap.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor had barely made it to his feet, a cry of pain falling from his lips as he did, but the door was closed and locked before he was even upright fully. He stared at the door, the viewing window making it impossible not to see, to see Stephen's final farewell nod, the final glimpse of the man he had once looked up to as a mentor and friend, the final moment before Stephen was gone and Connor realised he couldn't do it, couldn't bring himself to see that final moment and he closed his eyes. His legs finally gave out and he sank to the floor beside Cutter. His own tears started to fall and he reached for Cutter and pulled him close as a flood of feeling and memories washed over him. He saw the moments of the last week, but they were fleeting compared to the flood of memories that followed. Listening to Stephen deliver Cutter's lectures when he didn't show up for class. That fateful meeting when this whole anomaly thing got started. Stephen becoming part of the team. Sitting in the hospital waiting for Stpehen to wake up after the centipede attack. Stephen teaching him how to shoot. Their petty bickering and arguments. Stephen giving him relationship advice. The brotherly teasing and joking. The memories just kept on coming, and Connor felt like he was going to drown under the weight of them all. Connor's body trembled as he clung to Cutter as they sat outside that door, his own cries and sobs mixing with Cutter's. He was gone. Stephen was really gone.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	At some point in between his screams and exhausted sobs, Cutter became aware of Connor clinging to him and he moved in closer to Connor, terrified that something could happen to Connor … that he would lose him like he had just lost Stephen. He couldn't lose anyone else, he refused to lose anyone else. No one else was going to die because of him. He clung tightly back, not wanting to let go, refusing to let go. He was so tired as he kept sobbing, now that those floodgates had opened it felt like they were never going to stop.