Chapter 4! Sorry for the delay, particularly with the cliff-hanger. Next chapter may take same amount of time, as I've started my 6000 word essay due in September.

Anyway, Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval. .lavemirP now t'nod I


Earlier, just as Banks was leaving Lester, Jenny was introducing her ducklings, as one guard jokingly whispered to another upon seeing the five men obediently traipse after her, to Abby in the menagerie, where she was waiting somewhat nervously. Having seen numerous reactions to dinosaurs and the concept of time holes, she was envisaging every possible outcome and many included her having to do a flying bodyguard-esque leap in front of a soldier as a dinosaur made to eat him.

The logical side of her brain knew this was nigh on impossible; Leek had made sure of that. All those animals he had taken meant the ARC livestock was depleted, but there were a few potentially dangerous ones left, either herbivores or the ones that Leek had spared so no-one could make the connections; nevertheless, all the really deadly ones were gone.

But not, of course, Rex, who, while normally being left at home, was coming into work this week so Abby could keep an eye on him after the spatula incident. For Connor to do such a thing so soon after the Coelurosauravus had been through an ordeal only highlighted how careless the young scientist could be. However, Abby was soon finding Rex's company lightening and cheerful, although he didn't like being locked in the area all day, but there was no way she was letting him near her plants.

These thoughts were broken as Jenny pushed open the door and strode in, followed by five men, who, although varying massively in height, all towered over the petit blond. Unfolding her arms, Abby held out a hand to the first man, who just stared back at her in dumb incomprehension.

"This is Abby Maitland. She's our expert on how to deal with live creatures. Especially useful in the field."

"This is Abby Maitland?" responded Wrexham. "Erm... you're... young," he commented, unsure on how to express his surprise.

"Yes," put in Derby, feeling more forward. "How can you be an experienced expert at your age? I don't want any men put at risk as you practice." Abby stared at him for a second, not quite believing her ears. She looked to Jenny for help, unsure with how to react, but shoe only got a shrug in response. She faced Derby, reminding herself that all of these men were on interview and, therefore, should not be allowed to feel they own the place already.

"I'm as experienced as anyone can be in this field." Derby opened his mouth, but Hill, growing tired of the other man's constant antagonism towards the members of this operation intervened.

"What's that supposed to mean? Creatures people don't often meet? New species?" Abby smiled, knowingly, back on firmer ground.

"Old species," she answered. "Very old. Wanna see?" She arched her eyebrow.

All the Captains held back in replying, uncertain as to what she was on about. Derby and Barnet had images of cloning extinct species, while Hill and Wrexham pondered about the possibility of growth from genes and DNA. Neither involved danger, though, so Becker wisely kept his thoughts in check and replied:

"Go on."

Abby's eyes glinted and she pressed the electronic keypads which undid the door keeping the mammoth inside. As the door pulled back, the five men, without exception, gasped. Even Derby was speechless. Abby reached behind to grab some fruits. Stretching up as high as she could, the trunk wrapped around the banana and manoeuvred it to the mouth. She stroked the huge beast, the graceful giant still causing her to marvel.

Derby recovered.

"Is that real?" he gulped. Abby nodded. "It's... it's..."

"He's brilliant, isn't he? Came through on the M25, poor thing. I'll explain in a minute. He..."

"It's wrong!" Derby burst out. "Wrong! Every creature has its place. And time. You can't go resurrecting species."

Jenny stepped up to calm the Captain, but it only caused Derby to turn around.

And see Rex fly in.


"92... 90... 93... 96, keep it level, Connor," whispered Cutter urgently, as he watched the lightning shaft they'd created flare up.

"'M trying," mumbled Connor, concentrating on keeping the bar on the screen in as much the same place as possible by tapping the keys. It felt like a computer game.

"85! Up, Connor, up!" shouted Cutter.

"I'm trying, I'm trying, but it's no longer having any effect!" Suddenly, there was a loud crack, a couple of smaller lightning bolts appeared for an instant as the metal plate discharged completely, then darkness. Cutter took off his goggles and sighed.

"It just went ballistic all of a sudden; no warning," Connor defended himself. "One second, fine, the next... Zap!" Cutter smiled, knowing that would be the sort of comment he could expect on the written report he'd asked Connor to fill in as evidence for the experiment Cutter had to get Lester to pay for (as far as Cutter was concerned, he could remembered the results, so the paperwork was useless to him). Belatedly, Cutter realised Connor was still babbling.

"Connor, Connor. It's OK. It's not your fault. I'll analyse the results but I'm pretty sure it simply acted as an overloaded capacitor and discharged." The Professor stood up to discharge the other plate, using the ground wire that was installed in the lab, and Connor flicked a button and closed the laptop in slight annoyance, then sighed as he realised that what he had just done meant he had to reload the results from the hard-drive.

"Do you want some tea before we try analysing all of this?" asked Cutter as he quickly checked the room and the equipment was safe to leave.

"Yep, just let me set this to reload the results," replied Connor, opening up the laptop again. "It could take a few minutes to reboot."

"I'll bring it here. White, two sugars." Connor looked up to confirm the order, but Cutter had already gone.


Five minutes later and Cutter returned carrying two mugs.

"So, met the Captains yet?" asked Cutter as he handed over the mug. Connor was just about to answer negatively when Abby suddenly shouted out.

"Rex!"

The scream made Connor loose his grip on the mug and it went tumbling to the ground, where it smashed at Cutter's feet. Far from chastening him, though, Cutter beat Connor out the door as the pair raced down the corridor.

Upon arriving, they found Abby, with the fiercest expression on her face, staring at Derby who was across the room, staring back. With Rex in his arms, struggling to get free.

"What on Earth is going on here?" demanded the Professor, pausing in his bid to take rex back.

"He grabbed Rex and then started threatening the expose him."

"I'm not standing for what you do here!"

"You don't have a clue what we do here. You never gave anyone a chance to explain," retorted Jenny, obviously as angry as Abby.

"Cloning extinct species!" There was a pause, then a suppressed snort from Connor. Both Abby and Derby whipped around in amazement that he should be laughing at a time like this.

"You think this is funny, lad. That you can just muck about with the world in any way you please," remarked Derby.

"Well, we don't clone them. That would be pretty cool though..."

Absolutely not," interrupted Cutter.

"Anyway, we don't clone. The dinosaurs come through the anomalies to us."

"What?" said Derby, with the same air as someone who has just realised they've messed up. Badly. The job seemed to be slipping away through is fingers. His grip involuntarily loosened on Rex, who took that opportunity to bite Derby on the hand. Derby yelped and let go, allowing Rex to fly up to the ceiling, ignoring Abby's pleas for him to land. However, after a few seconds of testing his new found freedom, the dinosaur decided to land on Becker's shoulder, where he was promptly removed by the Captain, but after a small squawk in revolt against the possibility of being held captive once more, he settled into a cuddle.

"I apologise," said Derby, admitting that it was probably a little over reactionary of him, but he was a man with strong opinion and he stood by them all.

Jenny breathed in deeply. "Right, well, maybe you lot had better sit down and we'll explain the situation properly. Through here."

"Just one thing," interrupted Cutter. "How did you..." looking at Derby, "catch Rex? Normally, it takes ten men and a net.

"I have very quick reactions and a very quick mind," replied Derby, a slight pride returning. He could see the job marching back.

"Very good. We might need someone like that." The other Captains held back groans as they noted they hadn't proved themselves so far. Abby fumed silently and took Rex back off Becker, who was still cuddling him, without uttering a word or even looking the Captain in the eye. Becker pulled back a little, feeling his part here was over, but unnoticed, and moved to follow Jenny.


Good/Bad/Disaster?

Also, random fact, I found that Prospero Alpini was a scientist who discovered plants had genders in 1580. If anyone can think of a reason (silly or sensible) that Phillip would name his company after this guy, please let me know. Thanks!