Hello. So, sorry about the slight delay, esp. with the cliffhanger. Been a bit of a hectic week though. Anyway, on with the story. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval, I say. I don't!

PPP

Becker was led into another warehouse with the barrel of a gun pressed sharply into his back. The cold metal seemed to burn through his black T-shirt, making its presence constantly known. Furthermore, as if that wasn't a reminder enough of his situation, the owner of said weapon was constantly pushing him forward, eager to get Becker out of sight as quickly as possible.

As soon as they were out of view of the general public, Becker felt his arms being grabbed and held tightly behind his back. Rope was produced from somewhere, and by someone other than his initial captor, resulting in his arms being trust up tighter than a turkey on Christmas Day. He half-heartedly struggled, but felt the gun being dug into his shoulder blade and decided, logically, it was no good being free if you're also dead.

That being done, he was roughly pulled up a flight of concrete stairs, allowing him a brief view of the dismal crates filling the warehouse. His mind filed this image as he was shoved into the office which oversaw the whole place, a bare bulb swinging from the ceiling making the shadows danced against the wall. His eyes adjusted to take in the small room.

It was grim. It was damp. It wasn't where he should be.

A wooden chair, a few slats missing, was produced and he patiently allowed himself pushed onto it. Scuffing his foot on the floor, he suddenly found his head lifted by a puffy hand and his eyeline filled with the fat, ugly sneer of a gentleman in a dusty suit. His breath smelt worse than Connor's cooking... and that was saying a lot.

"Well now. He doesn't look like much." The voice was low and gruff.

"We need 'im," Becker's original captor piped up. "The place is surrounded by the fuzz. Some armed. Many plain clothed. If we want to get out of this, he's our bargaining chip."

"He's barely more than a chip!" snarled Fatty. He growled. "Very well. He's our hostage." He let go of Becker's face.

"I can assure you, the people here aren't for you," explained Becker as levelly as he could. "In fact..."

His head whipped back so fast he barely registered what happened. He doubted he would have ever known if it weren't for the bruising pain which spread across his cheek. Fatty stepped back flexing his hand.

"You know something Chip," he said scornfully. "I really wouldn't argue against the reasons which are keeping you alive."

PPP

"Banks," whispered Jenny.

The Sergeant shushed her as silently as he could, then went to raise his gun. Whatever the consequences, even on the timeline, these particular creatures did not look like the type Abby would be OK with having in the menagerie; they'd probably eat the rest.

With this is mind, he felt, rather than saw, a few of the other men raising their own weapons. Five creatures, five clean shots. No wounding, he thought to himself. As soon as a shot was fired the others would go berserk. They had one chance.

The creatures were closing in on them, stealthy in their approach. Cutter would have loved to have seen these, whatever they were. They had the elegance that few hunters possess. Banks gripped his gun tighter. Concentrate. No thoughts of Cutter.

He tapped his finger on his gun five times rapidly. The men would have got the message. Then, he began his countdown.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

...

Tap.

The warehouse was filled with shots echoing around the chasm. It was mingled with a few shouts of the scientists and Sarah shrieking involuntarily as she took cover. Beneath that were the howls of the creatures as they called out in pain. One lay in a pool of blood. Two other lay immobilised, only the steady movements of their chests and the flinching of their paws indicating life.

But the other two?

One had sprung to the right, having developed a limp in its front paw. Its anger was clear as it bounded away from the armed security, looking for safety.

"Hold fire," cried Banks and several men lowered their guns. The Sergeant allowed his gaze to follow the creature round as it gave the humans a wide berth. However, so intent on its own pain, its mind was clouded against all other fear and thus it ran, gracefully through the anomaly. "Jones! Watch it doesn't come back!" shouted the Sergeant. Jones knelt in position and aimed at the glowing ball. He cocked his gun ready for a further incursion.

Banks swung round, ready for the fifth. However, his thoughts were broken by the revving of an engine and the unleasing of its power as one of their vehicles wheel span before leaving Banks in its dust.

"It's the Captains," shouted Jenny, recovering from her position, now on the floor.

"Where are they going?" he screamed in frustration.

"After the other one," explained Sarah more gently, as she used the soldier's arm to hoist herself up. She looked towards the open warehouse doors. "It just left."

PPP

Atherton had never been involved in a car chase before. He rather assumed that he was past the opportunity for such things and yet here he was, racing after a prehistoric creature with all the gusto of a rally driver.

He had to admit, Delaney was an excellent driver in this role. The creature they were pursuing seemed to have a remarkable capacity for speed and they were barely keeping it in sight as they wove between the buildings at 30 mph. Atherton himself was in the backseat, tugging the other seats forward in order to access the guns in the back. Once one was in his grasp, he locked and loaded, then began to climb through to the front.

He wasn't expecting the sharp braking which followed.

"What the...?" he cried as he was launched forward by the Laws of Physics, only just catching himself before he head-butted the windscreen. His confusion was quickly answered though as Abby and Connor scrambled into the back and Delaney pulled off again.

"What's happening?" asked Abby.

"We decided to have a picnic somewhere nice and wanted to beat the rain." Atherton looked back at Abby's unimpressed face. "We're pursuing one creature who wishes to resist arrest. THERE!" He pointed at the grey blur ahead.

"What is it?" growled Delaney as he executed a perfect 90 degree turn.

"Dunno," answered Connor.

"I thought you were the dinosaur expert!" snapped the younger Captain, tension rising in his voice.

"I am," defended Connor. "But that's not a dinosaur."

"WHAT!"

"A creature from the future," explained Abby. "Likely to be deadlier than anything else on this planet right now." Atherton began to wind down his window and stick his gun out. "You're going to shoot it?" the blond cried.

"Dealier than anything else on this planet and you want to show it mercy?!" exclaimed Delaney.

"Abby, we have no choice. There are a lot of people around and we can't allow it to hurt any one of them," said Atherton, calmly trying to take aim. However, it was impossible. Between the movement of the car and the movement of the creature, the chances of hitting it were less than a squirrel being given a PhD for acorn studies. He needed a new plan.

A new plan presented itself as they round the next bend. The way was blocked by containers and two warehouses towered in either side. The creature slid to a stop before them, then glanced back.

The Captains and their carload was now blocking its only escape route.

PPP

Having sent Abby and Connor back to help put with whatever was happening at the anomaly, Lyons and his team turned their attention once more to their missing Captain.

They had quickly concluded that it was likely the owner of their original warehouse was connected with the kidnapping of Becker, if not the kidnapper himself. It therefore made sense to meet with the person who knew most about who they were dealing with. It was simple enough to find the police; Jenny had mentioned the detective was meeting her onsite and Lyons knew it was unlikely they would have left quickly. Sure enough, by heading towards the entrance road of the estate, the soldiers had soon found the white and blue Astras waiting around.

Upon explaining their situation, the detective's face grew grimmer and grimmer by the second. As the soldier finished, so he began.

"Your... Captain, was it? Your Captain has been captured by some pretty nasty men. However, they can't have left this site. Our men are surrounding this area." Lyons opened his mouth, but the older man waved his words aside. "I know your... colleague was trying to talk me into removing all my personnel from here, but by the end we agreed I could surround the place. This dratted operation has been going on for far too long for me to throw away the main suspects so easily. Though it looks like our hand is being forced."

"Where could they be?" pressed Lyons.

The detective sighed. "That gang operates in three warehouses here. Makes sense they'd stick to one of them. I imagine you lot are all over the first." Lyons nodded. "Well, that leaves two. Probably they'd have taken your Captain to the closest."

"Which one is that?" There was a pause. "Please."

The detective, however, was less obliging. He could sense he was in danger of losing control of the situation if he handed over all his cards to... Who were these people anyway? Sure, the woman had had all the necessary authority to move the police back, but he still wasn't quite sure what was going on. He didn't like the feeling of powerlessness which was developing.

"Just how much experience do you have with hostage situations?" asked the detective. Lyons was silent and the security behind him suddenly found the scenery more interesting. "None?" He sighed. "Look, if you're going to help him, then you'll need my advice..."

PPP

The creature eyed down the vehicle in front of it. Delaney eased up his right foot, letting the engine fall into quiet tickover. There was near silent.

The Captain gulped.

The other Captain took aim.

Connor was reminded of the old Western films he watched on lazy Sunday afternoons. But somehow, he didn't think the Sheriff would ride in to stop it.

Atherton took a deep breath in, syncing with the low growl which began to thrum through the air. He blinked once and squeezed the trigger.

The shot ricocheted off the containers and fell uselessly to the floor. The creature displayed the burst of speed which got it out of trouble the last time. Atherton pulled himself back into the car and began to wind the window.

His action, though, were inhibited as the car suddenly jerked forward. He glared across at the other Captain as the latter stamped on the accelerator pedal.

There was no time to shout a warning. Instead, there was just enough to brace themselves for impact. The creature met the front bumper with a sickening jerk. The car came to an abrupt halt, airbags exploding in all directions. There was a second of noise, cries and curses.

Then, came the silence.

PPP

Lyons had gathered a few of the other soldiers who'd be exploring the area and made their way towards the warehouse where Becker, according to the detective, was most likely being held.

After much discussion with the detective, the plan was simple. They were going to storm it.

In some ways, this reminded Lyons of his active service. House clearing was a routine occurrence and one he, and all the others, were well trained for. Although admittedly a warehouse was a different problem.

They made their way into the main door and were met with an array of crates. Becker could be anywhere.

There was a thump and a muffled cry to his left. He turned to see one of his men standing over what must have been a sentry. Well, at least they were in the right building.

He waved for the rest of the men to fan out and search the place. He raised his gun and was about to proceed when one of the men grabbed his sleeve and motioned towards the concrete steps leading to the office. The raised eyebrow meant 'surely we should check this out'. He nodded to agree.

Ascending the steps, Lyons took up position by the side of the door as the other man prepared to kick it in. The two men met each others' gazes before the boot hit the wood. There was a bang as it swung open.

Lyons pivoted around the frame and raised his gun. He froze.

"This what you're looking for?" questioned a man. In one hand, he was holding a tied-up Becker up-right. In the other, he was training a gun at the Captains' head.

PPP

Phew. Quite the long chapter. And again with the cliffhanger. Reviews might remind me to updatequicker. Hint hint. ;)