A/N: Thank you for all who reviewed and added this story your alerts and what not! It really means a lot to me. And sorry for the delay.. I've been away from my computer this weekend. So without futher ado..here is the continuation of the story I hope you enjoy! I own nothing Primeval and it's characters do not belong to me.
ALSO NOTE: I'm trying to add a bit of Beckers P.O.V in this story as well. Let me know what you think of the update! :)
Jess had mere momnents to think about her next move. She did NOT want to be stuck in the hallways with God-knows-what running around. She was too far away to try to make it to the armory in time so she decided on the next best option. She hurried, and made her way closer to Connors lab thinking at least she could get some company during to lock-down. She cursed her heels for slowing her down and ducked into one of the unused lab rooms just in time for it to be sealed off.
Becker, Matt and Emily had been making their way to the Comm. center just before the alarms started to blare. They had to have Jess look up some more data on Spring Hill Jack and the type of weaponry Emily had been using. Becker knew that he'd been stand-offish with Jess in the past couple of weeks, but he was not completely avoiding her but he knew he'd have to do some quick work so she did not hate him. Maybe another chocolate bar was in order. He had to admit to himself that he'd grown fond of the girl and that in itself was the reason to keep her at arm's length. The closer you got to someone, he reasoned, the harder it was to stay focused on matters at hand.
As they made their way to Jess' desk, Matt and Emily discussing whether she would stay in the ARC or finally just board with Matt, Becker was scrutinizing the back of the car in front of all those computer screens. Something was off…and then the chair spun around. Becker's eyebrows shooting up were the only tell that he had been surprised by the revelation of who was sitting in the chair…but that was most definitely NOT Miss. Parker.
Becker was immediately at attention, arms crossed looking down at the poor defenseless tech that was currently occupying Jess's seat. Not just anybody got permission to sit at her desk. Becker had one time used her screens to look at footage of Ethan setting the bomb and she just fluttered around him, he could tell she was desperately trying not to back-seat navigate him on her computer. And he must admit he got some twisted joy in dragging it out as long as he possibly could until she rolled her eyes, leaned over and started typing in sync with him. And in the moment, amid all the chaos in their life things fit for a brief moment. So whoever this was in Jess' seat even if she allowed him, in Becker's mind he did NOT belong.
'Great!' Jess thought 'Now I'm all alone with something or someone loose in the Arc. And I'm not even able to see my screens to know what's going on'. She had to admit this was a tense situation and she swore to herself that she would never think of her computers as boring ever again, they were her babies, and they gave her a feeling of control on the situations.
As she looked around the room she realized if she did not find the light switch soon, she would remain in the dark both figuratively and literally. That thought did not really sit well with her and she squeezed her eyes closed tight and took a deep breath, 'ok' she tried to reassure herself 'you can do this, just calm down'. She clenched her first in determination and felt what she had completely forgotten about – her earpiece. She couldn't help it she beamed. She wouldn't be completely cut off! She slipped it in her ear and was greeted with a conversation already in progress
"-ease report in, I repeat, Miss. Parker this is Jack Donaldson at the comm. We are having issues with the cameras; please report in your whereabouts." She could detect a hint of worry in his voice, and Jess couldn't help but feel bad. She too had felt the gut-wrenching fear of not knowing where your people where. "Don't worry Jack" she said "I'm here, how's everyone else?" "Everyone seems to be reporting in ma'am, and where are you in the building?" Jack responded again with a hint of fear in his voice. Jess felt the need to reassure him so in a lighter tone she said, "I'm on the 5th floor near the area where Con's at" she continued on just glad to be able to talk to someone in the dark "Just me myself and this creepy dark lab, this is why I shouldn't be allowed to leave my desk things-"she got cut off by a more impatient voice that most certainly was not Jack's
"Then WHY did you leave your post Jessica, this is your job is it not?" Jess felt like a small child being scolded for going outside without permission. Whenever he used her first name and especially with that tone, she felt the need to shrink back a bit. But now, coupled with how things had cooled down to an almost complete stop between them, it just angered her.
"I'm ALLOWED to leave my station if I get someone who is qualified to fill in for a few minutes cover for me, so stop having some hissy fit alright?" She did not know what it was about Becker that got her so riled up, she could never be normal around him. Her emotions were always on the extreme. And here she was pacing back in forth in a dark lab, yelling at his on an open line of communication. Who knew who else could be listening in on this line? But not even that could quell her anger "What is the worst that could happen while I'm basically locked in some dark-OWWW!" She stopped mid-sentence and cried out in pain and she felt around for something sturdy to sit or lean on.
"You ok Jess?" Abby's voice crackled through the earpiece in the silence that had taken over since her outburst.
"Yeah, I just cut my foot on something in here" Jess hissed through clenched teeth in pain. She rubbed her foot and her hand came away with a wet substance-blood. "I think it's just a small cut, it's bleeding but I'm sure I'll be fine". All-the-while as she was talking she was not aware of the bug the size of a baby's fist scuttling away from her in the dark.