Title: The Barracuda, re-post

Author: by Pinkcat4569

Rating: T for adult language and adult situations, but nothing explicit

Spoilers: No

Description: There's a man killer on the loose, the human kind, and to Jess' horror, she's after Becker.

Disclaimer: I do not own Primeval or the characters

Author's Note: This is similar to my story, Older Sister, in that a not-so-nice woman is after Becker. The barracuda, like Jess' sister in Older Sister, isn't very nice. I guess I figure anyone who knows how much Jess likes him but goes after Becker anyway isn't very nice.

Update: Please excuse me as I continue re-editing and re-posting. This is another long story that I feel needs to be put into chapters. Thank you.

Chapter One, the Barracuda

It was a Monday morning at the ARC and a little group had formed around the coffee. Of the main team only Matt, Connor, and Jess were in the break room, but there were also three of Becker's men and two techs. Jess was the only woman in the room.

"Heads up, the barracuda's on the way over," said Connor, "and she's carrying food. You know what that means."

"I wonder who she's after this time?" asked Matt.

"Why does she have to be after someone? Can't she just be sweet and generous?" asked Jess.

"No," said Thomas, one of the soldiers, "Not when she breaks out the food. She's got her sights on someone for sure."

"Poor bastard," mumbled Matt.

"You guys are awful," said Jess. "Just because a woman tries to be nice and bring food to the office, she's a man killer. I want you to stop calling her that dreadful name. Her name is Stella."

"It's true Jess," said Connor defensively. "That one is a man killer."

All the men in the break room agreed, with smirks, sneers, or soft 'yeahs'.

Jess looked appalled.

"Jess, you don't know," said Matt. "She gets you in her sights, and bam you're a goner."

"Oh, did she have you in her sights?" asked Jess.

"Yes, actually," said Matt, "she did, and I barely got out alive. First, it was gifts. Then she seemed to be everywhere I went. Went to the grocer, bumped into the barra...Stella, went for a jog, guess who happened to be jogging the same route? Stella. Then, she really goes in for the kill."

"She did, didn't she?" asked Connor with a smirk.

"Did what?" asked Jess innocently.

Matt grimaced. "Showed up at my flat in a long coat."

The men snickered.

"I suppose you're going to tell me that she had nothing on underneath?" said Jess, doubtfully.

"No, she was wearing a little underneath, very little."

The men laughed.

"You are horrible!"

"Jess, he's telling the truth," said Connor.

"Oh, really, Connor?" asked Jess.

"Yeah, really."

"She tried it on you, mate?" asked Matt.

"Yeah, and Abby wasn't impressed...at all."

The men all groaned and grimaced.

Epstein, one of the techs asked, "What'd Abby do?"

"Nothing, threatened to feed Stella to a raptor is all. It worked really well, actually, Stella seems to have forgotten she ever fancied me."

Jess looked distraught. She thought they were treating Stella unfairly, but Connor wouldn't lie and drag Abby into it.

The barracuda/Stella sauntered into the break room. She was tall, blond, had beautiful blue eyes, and a nice tan. She wore a heather blue dress, not as short as Jess' dresses, but still short. Stella's top showed way more cleavage than Jess showed. She had a thick gold-linked belt looped around her waist, hanging down in loops. Her heels were gold too. Her hair was loose, lying in ringlets on her shoulders. She was beautiful.

"Good morning, Stella," Jess said. "How are you today?"

"Oh, Can't complain." said the blonde. "Have a homemade muffin, Jess."

"Why, thank you, Stella," said Jess. "Hmm, yummy."

Stella smirked. "I just love working in the kitchen, and sharing the fruit of my labors. Go on, go on," she said, encouraging them all to try one.

The men ate the muffins, snickering softly at each other. Stella looked around, peering out the door.

"Looking for someone?" asked Matt.

The men traded smiles. Matt said, "It's been a while since you've brought us anything."

"Oh, I guess I just haven't been inspired to bake lately."

One of the techs stifled a snicker, turning it into a cough.

"There's nothing wrong with a little inspiration," said Jess, frowning at the men.

"Oh, I agree Jess," said Stella. "For some reason I just haven't felt...inspired."

"Until today," said Connor.

Stella had a dreamy look, like she was daydreaming. "Hmm, oh, until yesterday evening actually. I was leaving for the day when I strolled past the menagerie, when two horrible little beasts ran out..."

"Oh, Sid and Nancy," said Connor. "They went for a ...stroll. We got them right back into the menagerie though."

"We? I don't recall you being there," said Stella, rather coolly. "I was at the mercy of those things," when Connor made a face, Stella countered with, "They're prehistoric. They could have disease. They are creatures ruled by primitive instincts."

The men stifled a laugh. Stella looked at them confused, not realizing the laughter was because they considered her a creature ruled by primitive instincts.

"Anyway, I was at their mercy when he showed up. He saved me. I had no idea just how fit he was until he scooped them up in one hand, his muscles rippling under that black, tight shirt," said Stella, and she gave a little growl.

Jess was suddenly nervous. Who was Stella referring to?

That's when Becker strolled nonchalantly into the break room.

"Good morning," he said, and smiled at Jess. She smiled brightly at him.

"Good morning, Captain. Have a fresh, hot, apple muffin," said Stella. She smiled and batted her blue eyes at him. "Now, I know someone as fit as you doesn't normally do carbs," she said, eyeing him up and down. Jess noticed and didn't like it. "But go ahead, splurge."

"Thank you, that was...kind," Becker said with surprise, taking the muffin. Stella smiled as she handed him the muffin, her hand lingering on his. Becker gave her an uneasy smile, and took the muffin.

"No trouble," she said, scooting closer to him. "I love doing things for others, if there's anything you ever need, anything, you just whistle," she said, puckering her lips.

Suddenly, Connor began choking. Thomas hit his back, and Epstein looked nervously at Jess. Jess stood still, not breathing.

Becker was normal, seeming oblivious. "Um...thanks. Good muffin," he said holding it up.

"Oh, no thanks please," said Stella sweetly, but a tad overdone. "I am thanking you. If you hadn't rescued me yesterday..."

Becker looked embarrassed. "It was nothing, seriously. They weren't dangerous."

"That's what I said," said Connor.

"Well, whether they were or not, I appreciate what you did." She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Jess gasped lightly, but Matt heard, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Becker was even more embarrassed, and there was suddenly a lot of coughing from the men in the room.

Stella smiled, and walked out of the room, wiggling substantially. She stopped on the way out, and smiled at Becker.

Once she was clear, the break room erupted.

Connor said, "Oh geez. The barracuda vs. Action Man they'll be no survivors."

"Poor bastard," said Matt.

"If I were you, sir," said Thomas, "I'd retreat, to another country."

"What is everyone on about?" asked Becker.

The guys all chuckled, but said nothing.

Jess was not amused. She stood there frowning, and it worried Becker. "Are you alright, Jess?" he asked.

"Yes, just...tired," she said finally, and walked out of the break room.

"Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

Connor put an arm around Becker, saying, "Mate, you're about to be barracuda'd."

Becker's eyes grew wide.

"And Jess saw the first act," said Matt.

Becker groaned and hit his head with his hand. "What the hell am I going to do?"

End of Chapter One