[b]"Good."[/b] Nick was relieved that the assistant seemed to be calming down.

[b]"...as there's often not so much still left intact."[/b]

[b]"Yeah, but are you sure it's [i]ancient[/i]?"[/b] Nick questioned his assistant as he knelt down, [b]"Time capsules can be of any age, honestly."[/b] The debris between his fingers seemed really fresh. Maybe almost as if the place was abandoned prior to the explosion. Like, they knew it was coming.

This site certainly was not Pompeii by any means. Different ideas danced across Nick's mind as he stood back up.

[b]"...Until you were chosen. HiveMind is very hopeful of your capabilities, Nick."[/b]

[b]"Gee, thanks sweetheart. [i]You're making me blush[/i]."[/b] Nick eyerolled at the invisible charmer, [b]"But I'm happily married."[/b]

He'd been looking at what seemed like mountains in the distance and a clock tower a bit closer than that. A high pitched scream caught Nick's attention. He sighed in frustration, [b]"I thought you said I was down here alone."[/b] He knew this job had been too good to be true.

There was a bit of hesitation from him until the screaming became a bit more frantic. An animal's growls were thrown in the mix when Nick finally and literally jumped into action. He used the slippery ground under his feet to gain speed as he headed in the direction of the screaming. A girl came into view as well as the attacker. An animal that was either hungry or angry.

As he ran in her direction, he withdrew a single M9 from his hip and fired a few shots. Lining up with, hopefully a headshot of, the ink monster.