Abby sat cross legged next to Connor. She had never felt more helpless in her life. Everytime she looked up the mother future predator was much closer than she had been the last time. Abby reckoned that it would only be about two minutes, maybe less, before she reached the spot. And if she did reach it, she would battle the oncoming gorgonopsid and the two young future predators would survive to destroy the world. Even more worrying for Abby was Connor. His ankle was bleeding profusely, and although he was trying his best to hide it, she could tell that he was in a lot of pain. Abby had torn off part of her coat to make a bandage for Connor's ankle but it was proving to be of little use. Connor's face was getting more and more pale as he lost more blood. Abby stroked his cheek and was shocked to find it was so cold.

"Connor?" she said softly.

"Yes"

"Do you think that maybe we can stop the predators without guns?"

Connor didn't answer for a while, when he did his voice was very soft. Like that of a person on the brink of death.

"I don't know, Abby. I don't know." That told Abby all she needed to know. Connor had given up hope.

"Connor, please don't give up. Not on the mission, not on me."

"Abby?"

"Connor, I can't let you give up on me. You see, the thing is I..." She paused for a moment, initially reluctant to say the words. But then she realised that with Connor in the state he was in now, this may be the last chance she would ever get to say them.

"Connor, I love you."

A smile appeared on Connor's face. With considerable effort, he reached up to Abby and stroked the side of her chin.

"Really, you mean that?"

"Yes. I'm gonna be honest about it, Connor. I've always been in love with you, I just didn't notice it at first, I was so into Stephen at the time. And then after I found out he had an affair with Helen, I lost interest in him and I started to realise that actually, I really liked you. But I was just so stupid and proud that I didn't want to admit it to myself, or anyone else for that matter. I'm sorry, Connor. I wish I hadn't been like that." Connor smiled.

"It's ok, Abby. I've been stupid with our relationship too. Bringing Caroline home and everything like that. And I'm sorry for that. But Abby, I don't care what you may have done in the past. I love you, I've loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you in the Forest of Dean. And the knowledge that you love me too is all I'll ever want in return."

For a moment, they both smiled at each other. Then suddenly there came the sound of screaming and Abby looked up. The mother future predator had finally arrived at the spot. Already she had butchered Captain Ryan's soldiers and torn the lid off the container that had imprisoned her offspring. Now she was sinking her teeth into Ryan's collarbone. Helen had retreated a little way up the hill, only to come face to face with the gorgonopsid as it ploughed his way through the tents that the soldiers had set up. He saw the future predator and charged at her, narrowly missing Cutter. The predator threw herself at the gorgonopsid, but he easily tossed her to one side, before making his way to the box with the babies in it.

Abby knew what would happen next. The mother predator would soon get up again, and when she did she would attack the gorgonopsid and distract him from the baby predators he was meant to be eating. When that happened, two of the young predators would escape. And there was nothing anyone could do about it. Becker was out cold, and even if he wasn't, none of them had any weapons. They had no way of stopping the predators, it was over. The mission had failed. Already the mother predator was rising to her feet again and looking in the direction of the gorgonopsid.

Suddenly she let out a screech of pain and stumbled slightly. Abby saw a lone figure standing among the monkey puzzle trees in the distance. It was Danny, holding Becker's sniper rifle, which had a silencer on it so it made no sound as it was fired. He saw Abby and winked. She in turn pointed at the future predator, who was looking around, trying to detect who had shot her. Suddenly, she stood still and faced Danny. She snarled at him and then started for him. Danny turned and ran, Abby watching and hoping that her wish for the predator to kill him wouldn't come true.

Danny made for the other side of the hill, the mother future predator in hot pursuit. On one hand, she had the advantage of superhuman speed, but on the other, she also slipped regularly in the slippery volcanic soil that coated the hillside. Then again, so did Danny. He knew he could not keep this up for much longer, sooner or later the predator would catch up with him, and when she did, she would certainly kill him.

As the predator slipped for the third time, she righted herself and crouched down. Rather than continuously running, she was going to jump. She sprang forward and flew through the air, she caught Danny right in the small of the back, sedning him tumbling head over heels in the dirt. As Danny righted himself he noticed several things, in quick sucession. One was that he was only about a stone's throw away from where, Abby, Connor and Becker were. The second was that both his pistol and the one he had taken from Abby were tumbling down the hillside. The third was that the predator was now extremely close to him, her needle sharp teeth bared and aimed at his throat. Danny still had Becker's sniper rifle. He brought it up, one shot in the mouth and the predator would be down.

Unfortunately, the predator could sense Danny aiming the gun at her head. She lunged before he could get a chance to fire and yanked the gun from his grasp. For a moment she shook it as a fox might shake a hare. Then she tossed it to her right, sending it flying to the spot where the rest of the team were. She turned back to Danny. The predator had no eyes but Danny could feel all the hatred and bloodlust in the world radiating from her as she made for his throat.

She never got there though. An invisible force slammed into her, causing her to side step to Danny's right. Danny looked to his left to see Connor, lying on his belly with the smoking rifle in his hands. As the predator made for Danny once again he fired once, twice, three more times at her head, until at last she fell down on her side, her breathing heavy and laboured. Danny stood up and looked down at her. With the last of her strength, she looked up at him and made one lunge for his leg. Her jaws missed it by inches, her head slumped to the ground. She was dead.

Danny turned and headed up the hillside towards Connor. As he reached it, Connor and Abby stared at him.

"Why did you come back?" they asked in unison.

"Isn't what friends are for?" asked Danny.

"You're no friend of ours" said a cold voice. Becker had regained consicousness and was now glaring instensely at Danny. "You betrayed us, you've doomed the entire universe. That's not what friends do."

"Don't be too hard on him, Captain Becker" came the Entity's soft voice. "For Daniel here has anything but doomed the universe, instead he has saved it by slaying the mother future predator. If you do not believe me, then look to the site where Cutter and Helen now stand."

The whole team turned in the direction the Entity had stated. The gorgonopsid was leaving the campsite, his jaws stained with blood. The crate which had contained the baby future predators was completely empty and spattered with drops of blood.

"Well done, anomaly team" said the Entity. "Your mission has suceeded. Now quickly, you must hurry back to your own time period. I'm sure the rest of your team mates will want to know of the mission."

Connor groaned and looked down at his ankle. Danny bent down and offered his hand to him.

"You want some help, team leader?" Connor nodded and took Danny's hand. Danny hoisted him up and allowed him to lean on his shoulder. And then together, the team made their way back to the anomaly. As they went through it, the body of the mother future predator started to sparkle a little, as if it had been doused with those disinfectant sprays one sees on TV. Soon, the body began to sparkle more and more until eventually, the entire corpse was enveloped in a bright light. Then, as suddenly as the light had appeared, it vanished. The future predator was gone, as if it had never been there.