The ARC and then An Abandoned Mansion - London

[itsananomaly]

Between the two of them, Cutter and Connor had been able to get the exact location of an anomaly and as they had arranged with Lester, Connor was going to go with Becker and his team and check out the site to determine if there was any potential anomaly activity. Meanwhile Cutter was staying behind to do more research with Sarah, who was back from getting more research and who had wanted to go with Becker and Connor and then had grumbled very loudly about being 'held hostage by a possessive scientist'. Cutter was waiting as patiently as he could for Connor to call and tell him what they'd found but he was finding it hard to concentrate because if this anomaly prediction model worked, it could change everything they knew about anomalies. [preplayed with the amazing anaomaly_research_nerd. Adapted from Series 3, Episode 2 'Haunted House'. NFB for distance but OOC welcome!]

Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Alright this should be it" Connor said as he and Becker arrived on the site. Turned out the anomaly location was a huge abandoned house. It looked like it hadn't been touched in years. After a quick search if the property they went inside to check things out.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Sarah was quickly learning that Cutter was one of the most impatient men she had ever met and she watched him pace up and down the lab, glancing at his phone and then at the model. "Connor will be fine Professor," she assured him, "besides Captain Becker is with him, he's got backup and he'll call when there's findings to report," Cutter tried to slow down and stop pacing but he gave a small smile at Sarah, "what research did you happen to find when you were out today?" He decided to try and focus on something else for a while instead. Sarah smiled as she started to relay all of the new information on various myths and legends that she had found.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Perimeter looks secure. Any sign of an anomaly?" Becker asked as he and Connor headed into the house cautiously. It was a nice house, and would have been worth quite a bit if it had been kept up and in good condition. "This is one heck of a place for an anomaly to open, though. Imagine coming home from a night out and seeing that in your living room or something!"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"That would be terrifying if you were hungover," Connor said with a small laugh as he took out the detector and started walking through the rooms on the ground floor. "Im getting something though...." Connor said as he frowned at the device in his hands. "It's not strong enough to be an anomaly, but there's definitely something odd here." He paused at the foot of the staircase leading upstairs and nodded. "Think the signal is getting stronger."
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker nodded at that and motioned for Connor to wait and let him go first. And so with weapon drawn and ready, Becker started to slowly climb the stairs with Connor following a few steps behind. "Whatever it is I'm picking up... it's getting a little stronger" Connor said softly as they reached the top of the stairs. "It's up here somewhere." "Alright, let's keep looking. But be careful and..." Becker said then stopped as noise caught his attention. "What was that?" he asked as he spun around facing down the hallway, weapon ready.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Probably an animal of some kind..." Connor said, swallowing hard. "Place is a little run down... who knows what's found its way inside over the years." He really hoped it was just an Opossum or something normal and relatively safe. He was still getting odd readings on the handheld.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Right..."Becker said still scanning the area. "Ok here's what we are going to do. You are going to go downstairs and wait for me. I'm going to do a full sweep up here. Call Nick and tell him what we have found so far. Once I know the place is safe I will head back to the ARC and pick him up and we can continue whatever work the two of you need to do."
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor was about to protest that, but the look on Becker's face said there was going to be no arguing. So Connor just nodded and made his way back down the stairs, watching the trace signal on the handheld get weaker as he did. So that much was at least confirmed, whatever they were picking up was on the upper floor of the house. Once Connor was downstairs again he pulled out his phone to call Cutter, and he stepped out onto the porch to get a better signal as he waited for Cutter to answer.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter was getting rather angsty now and no amount of research could distract him from worrying about Connor, so he practically jumped in the air when his phone rang and saw it was Connor ringing. "Connor, are you alright?" he asked anxiously. "What have you found?"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"It's ok Nick. I'm fine. Becker and I are here at the site. It's some abandoned house" Connor explained. "We haven't found an anomaly or anything, but the ADD handheld is definitely picking up something odd. Becker is doing a final sweep of the place and then he said he'll be back to the ARC to pick you up."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter's heart sank a bit that there wasn't an anomaly, "were you able to determine what kind of readings they were?" he asked as he started to get what he needed so he could meet Becker and go to the site, "did they look like any kind of anomaly readings? Maybe it's an older anomaly?"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"It almost looks like really weak anomaly readings," Connor said. "So maybe it's been opened before and there's some sort of residual reading the device is picking up?" Connor paced along the porch as he spoke. "The readings are really interesting, Nick. And this place has been touched in years so there very well could have been an anomaly here at some point and we just missed it. Or it opened before we were so actively searching for them..."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"Oh I have to see these readings," Cutter perked up a little at that, "it could be that it is an older anomaly and it was open for a while or maybe it's an old anomaly and it's going to reopen at some point in the future, it could be leaving trace evidence of its existence," he theorised. "I'll come and have a look at the readings once Becker takes me over and see how they match up against the anomaly prediction model readings," he told Connor excitedly.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Alright, sound good. I will keep gathering some readings and data for us while I wait. See you soon," Connor said as he hung up the phone. Just then Becker emerged and gave the all clear thumbs up. "Alright, I will head back upstairs then and get some more readings while I wait for you and Nick." Connor saw the look on Becker's face and sighed softly. "I will be fine, Becker. I promise. It won't take you that long to get to the ARC and back. Nick is already getting ready for you to come get him. I'll be fine."
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker hesitated a moment then nodded. The place did seem pretty sure and there had been no signs of anyone being anywhere near the place in some time. Connor would likely be fine for the short time he would be gone. "Alright. Just watch your back, in case an anomaly does appear before we get back. Call us right away if anything happens. Got that?" Connor nodded and Becker put a hand on his shoulder and then handed him one of the small sidearms he had. "Take care Connor. We'll be back shortly."
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor nodded as he took the gun and then watched Becker get into the truck and head off. He watched until Becker turned on the side street an dissapeared from sight. Glancing down at the ADD handheld, Connor desired to do one more lap around the property to ensure he hadn't missed anything with the initial readings. So, he made another lap, eyes fixed on the device and the readings. His attention was so focused on the detector that he didn't realize someone was standing on the porch by the time he had circled back around until he literally ran into them. Connor gave a small yelp and jumped in surprise as he looked up at the stranger, his eyes going wide as a sudden panic hit, remembering that he was now alone out there.
Danny(thearcfamily)	"Care to tell me what you are doing here mate?" the stranger asked. "Sorry... ummm, just checking out the property" Connor stammered. "So if you'd just let me pass and..." Connor tried to step past but the stranger stepped in front of him. "Sorry not buying he whole tourist out for a walk bit mate" he said flashing a badge at Connor as he did. "Detective Constable Quinn. And I will ask you only once more. What are you doing here?"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Oh this was not good... not good at all. And of course it had to be right when Connor was alone with no one to back him up. "I... I was just..."Connor fumbled, feeling like Quinn was already seeing right through anything he tried to say or any excuse he tried to make. "I... I can't tell you" Connor said softly.
Danny(thearcfamily)	"So the way I see it, you're either a burglar or a trespasser. And in either case you are definitely not supposed to be here."
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Do I look like a burglar to you?" Connor said, trying to force a laugh before coughing to hide it when he realized Quinn wasn't laughing. "Your military buddy's coming back isn't he?" Connor sighed. Whoever this guy was he had clearly been staking the place out and had been watching them this entire time. "Look I know what this must look like. But it's all fine. I'll leave now, I just... I can't tell you why we were here."
Danny(thearcfamily)	"How very convenient for you" Quinn said dryly. "Unfortunately, that is not going to cut it. Not going to have armed military snoops poking around in my jurisdiction. So last chance to talk. No? Alright then, looks like we are taking a little trip downtown" he said as he grabbed Connor's arm suddenly and started to pull it behind him.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor cried out at the sudden movement and winced slightly as his arm was pulled behind his back, the movement so quick he dropped the gun Becker had given him and felt Quinn snatch the anomaly detector out of his other hand. "No no... please, you... you're making a big mistake," Connor said as he felt his hands being handcuffed behind him. "I have to stay here, something bad might happen if I am not here..." Connor felt his heart sink slightly as he felt the cuffs tighten slightly and found himself being marked across the yard to the black truck sitting at the edge of the property.
Danny(thearcfamily)	"Really?" Danny rolled his eyes as he lead Connor towards his truck, once he had put the gun safely behind him and then he held onto the anomaly detector with his other hand, "let me guess, you can't tell me what's going to happen?" he smirked, "it's all hush hush, need to know, am I getting warmer?"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Look just... let me go and...let's just talk about this rationally eh?" Connor said, really starting to panic the closer they got to the truck. Where the hell was Becker and Cutter?
Danny(thearcfamily)	"Nice try, not going to happen that easily but I'm in a generous mood today so I'll give you one last chance at a get out of jail free card, what are you and your military buddy playing at?" Danny looked at Connor with a smirk, he held up the anomaly detector device, "is this some kind of weird LARP thing you're playing?"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor blinked in surprise for a second, not at all expecting someone like Danny to even know what LARPing was. And for a second Connor was tempted to try and play it off as just that... but he knew that would backfire. And part of him was pretty sure Danny was just messing with him and didn't think it was a LARP at all. "It's tech I invented," Connor said slowly, knowing he was breaking the secrecy act just by saying that but he was starting to panic and didn't know what to say to try and get Danny to let him go. "I.. I cant tell you what it's for. It's... it's classified."
Danny(thearcfamily)	Danny knew a lot of different things, one day he was hoping for the chance to show off that he did know Latin but it was looking like today was not that day. He looked at Connor thoughtfully, like for a second he was buying the whole 'classified' thing, "yeah sorry mate, you don't look Oxford enough for MI5, I'm not buying the whole I work for a secret government organisation type deal," he shook his head as they got to his truck, "tell you what, I'll give you plenty of time to come up with a convincing story in the truck, while we wait for your buddy to arrive and then I'll arrest him too,"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Shit. This was so not good. Connor was finding himself in the back of Danny's truck. Becker would be back any minute now, most likely. With Cutter. And Connor had no way to warn them. "Please, just... just let us go. Alright? Let us go and we... we'll leave the house alone. We won't come back or bother anything. I swear!"
Danny(thearcfamily)	"See I just don't believe that," Danny smirked, "I think we need to have this conversation at the station, this house is in my jurisdiction and I want to make sure it stays off limits now ... where's that buddy of yours, I'd really like to talk to him,"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor felt his heart sink at that and it sank even farther when he saw the familiar ARC truck pull up outside the house. He held his breath as he waited and saw Becker get out and then Cutter got out and they both stood looking up at the house, talking for a minute. Connor couldn't hear anything but he saw Becker pointing inside and it looked like he was pulling out his phone as he started to walk around to the back of the property. Connor realized Becker had probably told Cutter he was inside somewhere still and he was going to call Lester with an update. This was bad....
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter headed towards the house, looking around for any sign of anomaly activity as he did but just before he got to the door, he looked around, feeling suddenly anxious ... Connor hadn't been kidding about this being an old house and he had a really unsettling feeling that something was wrong. He wished he could chalk it up to the old house but he had a feeling that wasn't it.
Danny(thearcfamily)	Danny grinned as he watched Cutter and Becker get out. "Well well, more friends of yours I take it?" he quipped, seeing the look on Connor's face he didn't need an answer to that rhetorical question. "Well, I think I should go and introduce myself to him don't you?" And with that, Danny was out of the truck and making his way across the yard toward Cutter. And all Connor could do was sit there helplessly in the back seat and watch.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter didn't notice Danny at first he was staring at the door of the house, still feeling rather unsettled and then he climbed up the steps towards the front door, hopefully Connor was still okay, it had been a while since they'd talked on the phone about the anomaly readings.
Danny(thearcfamily)	Danny gave a short quick whistle as he walked up closer to the house. "Oiy, I wouldn't do that if I were you mate" he said, his lip quirking into a slight grin when he saw the panicky look on Cutter's face. Yeah he definitely wasn't M15 either. "Care to tell me what you are doing here on private property and why you chose to ignore the No Trespassing sign?" Was there actually a No Trespassing sign somewhere? Maybe, maybe not. Danny didn't care really.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter startled and turned around and froze where he saw Danny, "I wasn't aware there was a no trespassing sign," he said, trying to keep his voice steady and try not to let on how uneasy he was. "I thought this was public property, just an old house to check out,"
Danny(thearcfamily)	"Now see, one bloke checking out a house I would believe," Danny said, giving Cutter a quick once over and quick flash of something passing over his face as he did. "But two, on the same day, less than a half-hour apart? Naww mate something's up. Why don't you tell me what is really going on and why you are so interested in this run-down ole house here?"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter trembled and looked back at the house, "what happened to the other man who was here?" he said, looking back at Danny, "he was in the house? What have you done to him?" he started to take a step back to run into the house, to find Connor, he wasn't feeling confident about his chances, maybe before everything that happened with Helen, he would have maybe out run Danny but now he wasn't so sure. Maybe he should start calling for Becker. He glanced nervously around the back to see if he could see him.
Danny(thearcfamily)	"No, no ...this is a big mistake, it's just a misunderstanding," he looked back towards Danny's truck, starting to feel panicked, this wasn't supposed to be happening, he tried to see if he could spot Connor, "look I can't tell you anything," he pleaded, "I can get my boss on the phone, he'll sort this out, please, you won't have to see us again,"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"No, no ...this is a big mistake, it's just a misunderstanding," he looked back towards Danny's truck, starting to feel panicked, this wasn't supposed to be happening, he tried to see if he could spot Connor, "look I can't tell you anything," he pleaded, "I can get my boss on the phone, he'll sort this out, please, you won't have to see us again,"
Danny(thearcfamily)	"That really the best excuse they teach you guys?" Danny said as he rolled his eyes and reached behind him and pulled out his other set of handcuffs and started towards Cutter. "Well, I guess we are doing this the hard way. Won't be seeing you around here for a while because you will be sitting down at the station until we get this all sorted out." And with that he grabbed Cutter's arm and in what seemed like far too fast and fluid a movement had his arms cuffed behind his back and was marching him back to his truck.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter flinched in pain as Danny grabbed his arm, "please, just let us go," he pleaded as Danny cuffed him and marched him towards the truck, he was trying to keep the panic from rising at the thought of going to another cell, "no," he struggled to escape and then without thinking he started to the struggle against Danny and then he tried to free himself from Danny's grasp and then he tried to kick at Danny to get free. It hadn't worked against Becker, he knew it wasn't going to work against Danny but he wasn't going to be taken to another cell without a fight. Sorry Danny.
Danny(thearcfamily)	"Fiesty one you are" Danny said with almost an entertained chuckle. He simply tightened his grip on Cutter's arm and shifted his hold to keep him far enough away that he couldn't kick at him easily. "Struggling is just going to make it worse in the long run. Do yourself a favor mate and chill." A moment later Danny was opening the back door, one hand going out to push Connor back in while with almost the same movement he was sliding Cutter into the seat beside him and closing the door. "Soldier boy will be fine on his own for a bit. I think it is time you and I have a talk. Mr. Connor Temple and Mr. Nick Cutter" Danny said, his eyes narrowing at them as he turned around and looked at them from the driver's seat.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter was trying to remember to breath as he was led into the seat, he stared at Connor helplessly and then he heard Danny say their names and the panic increased, "it's Professor Cutter," he found himself correcting Danny, because that was clearly what was important right now. "You ... you already knew who we were?" he whispered, horrified.
Danny(thearcfamily)	"Don't think there was a paper in London that didn't run a story about you two at least once" Danny said with an almost impressed laugh. "Professor Nick Cutter, respected instructor and paleontologist and Connor Temple, his love sick student, both suspected of conspiracy against Her Majesty and wanted on charges of high treason. Yeah, I know who you are. Which is why I want to know what you are doing poking around this place." And with that Danny started up the truck.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter's expression fell, "the stories weren't true," he glanced at Connor, feeling sick in the stomach, "we didn't commit treason," he said softly and now he wondered if maybe he should have just said no comment at this point, he'd had weeks of saying no comment to all the press inquiries, what was to stop Danny from arresting them for treason?
Danny(thearcfamily)	Connor looked as panicked as Cutter at that revelation. Had they really endured all that with Christine and the press, just to be arrested by a DC like Danny? "The stories are false" Connor said simply. "We... We were set up. We didn't do anything wrong." "Likely story" Danny said as he pulled the truck into the road and drove off. "I plan on getting to the bottom of it all "
Cutter(itsananomaly)	The feeling of panic was threatening to overwhelming him .. this was so very bad and here they were, both handcuffed and in the back of a police truck and there was nothing they could do. "Look, you don't need both of us," Cutter said softly, "let Connor go, you can arrest me instead," He wasn't going to drag Connor through another ordeal like the one they had been through, if he had to face the press again, he wasn't subjecting Connor to that.
Danny(thearcfamily)	"That's very noble of you,but he was still caught trespassing as well as possible charges of breaking and entering. Hell still have to answer for that. And besides, I'm very interested to her this story from your side other than no comment." Connor squirmed uncomfortably in the seat as he looked at Cutter then to Danny. They had to get a hold of Becker, or Lester, or even Jenny.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"No comment," Cutter leaned back against the seat, wincing a little as the handcuffs chafed his wrists. He knew that had likely just made it worse for him and Connor and he looked apologetically at Connor before he looked back at Danny. At least he had gotten rather good at saying no comment these last few weeks.
Danny(thearcfamily)	Danny glanced in the rearview mirror as he drove across town. He had to admit that these two didn't seem like traitors or terrorist types. But one thing Danny Quinn knew from years on the force was how looks could be deceiving. He was keen to get back to the station and see if he could finally uncover some answers about what in the world was going on at that damned house!