Chapter Five, Conclusion, Temporary Amnesia

They were walking back to the ADD, when the alert went off. Jess rattled off the information, glancing for a second at Becker. He looked nervous, and a little unsure. Then he grabbed a black box, and turned to leave with the team.

Jess grabbed his arm. "You can't. You don't remember...anything. It's just too dangerous."

"It's my job, right? You said it yourself, I'm still in here. I'm stubborn and pig-headed, remember? I have to do this."

Before Jess could stop him, he released her hold and ran off to join the others.

Jess was terrified. What should she do? Should she rat him out? He didn't remember who he was, how on earth could he do his job? If she said nothing, he could endanger himself or the others. He'd never forgive her if she told Lester. She couldn't betray him. What the hell was she going to do?

Becker followed the others down to the carpark. "Becker," came Jess' voice in his ear. "I've got you on a private line. If you're going to do this, then I'm going to help. I won't abandon you. I promise."

"I know you won't."

"The man running up to you from the armory? That's Flowers, your second in command. If you get lost, lean on him. He's a good man."

"Flowers," he called. "You drive," tossing the startled man the keys. Becker didn't want to risk the whole operation because he forgot the layout of London.

Once they got to the anomaly site, Becker followed in behind Matt, following orders. He was to take his men and lock the anomaly. Simple.

They had found the anomaly, and Becker had managed to work the locking mechanism with Jess' guidance. All was going smoothly. There was no sign of incursion.

Becker and his men carefully searched the area around the anomaly. They were inside a mall, first floor, deserted thanks to Jess' "gas leak" story. However, some stragglers usually remained inside, and Becker hoped that was all they'd find.

Then he heard the growl. The sound sent shivers through him. He couldn't remember what creature it was, but he knew that horrifying sound. It filled him with dread, and tied his stomach in knots. Whatever it was, it was definitely a bad memory.

He saw it, only a flash really. God it was fast! He pointed his EMD, but there was no target. He was alert, alert as ever. Then he saw another flash, a gray flash. This time the growl was kind of a chitter.

Then he heard the scream, a sickening, horrible scream reverberating around them.

"Mulden!" One of the men cried. Becker was too late to help his man, but at least, the delay caused by the creature catching a victim did allow a look at the creature. Jess gasped at the recognition.

"Future predators," she said, nearly inaudible.

Becker remembered them.

He wouldn't ever forget: the first time he saw them, leading away dozens of them, hoping to give the rest of the team: Abby, Connor, Danny Quinn, and Abby's brother a chance to escape.

How he hid in a burned out car, sure he was going to die horribly and alone in the apocalyptic future.

Worst of all, he remembered the terrifying text message from Jess saying she and Lester were alone in the ARC, trapped by the creatures.

He'd never forget the look on Jess' face when he found her, scared, shocked, bruised, and battered. For one frozen second he had thought the blood was hers, not Lester's.

"Captain Becker!" screeched Flowers.

He snapped out of the memories, and rolled just in time to miss the flash rolling over him.

"Sir, Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, thank you," he said, gasping.

Jess immediately spoke in his ear, "Becker, they're future predators. They use echo..."

"I know Jess. I remember." Jess didn't have time to respond. "I need you to get that recording Abby had, remember?"

"Yes, I've got the audio file located, and bringing it up now."

Becker chuckled, "That's my girl. Can you somehow patch..."

"…it in to the speaker system throughout the entire building? It's loading now."

"You ARE brilliant." He heard her laugh and could almost see her smile.

He turned his attention to his men. "Listen up! They're going to be frozen in a moment. Seek out, and stun on high, maybe a couple times, just to be sure." He said with a grin.

"Matt, do you copy?" Becker asked into his comm.

"Copy. We heard you and Jess, good plan. We haven't spotted any yet. Coming your way."

"Roger," said Becker. He heard a chirping, and jumped as a predator appeared inches from him, then froze.

"Right!" he yelled, "Take 'em out!"

The men all fired and the predators all dropped.

"Flowers, take your men, and secure the building-everywhere, all the kiosks, food vendors, changing rooms. I mean it, everywhere."

"Yes sir. I wish they were all so easy," he said, chuckling.

Becker shook his head. The man had no idea.

"Becker?"

"Yeah, Jess. I'm fine. Everyone's fine, well, we lost one good man, Charles Mulden."

"I know, I'm sorry. But, you remember him?"

"Yeah, Jess. I remember everything." There was silence for a moment. He guessed she was absorbing it all. like he was. "Jess? You were brilliant. You moved faster than the predators.""

Jess chuckled. "You remembered how to flirt I see," she said.

Matt and the rest of the team descended the moving escalator. Becker went up to meet them.

"Looks like you had all the fun," Connor quipped with a smile.

"Are you alright?" asked Emily.

Becker smiled at her concern. "I'm fine. We had one fatality."

Matt looked solemn. "We heard. Mulden." He lightly put his hand on Becker's shoulder. "Sorry, mate. But honestly, that was a splendid job."

"Indeed," said Emily.

"Captain," came a voice, Private Thompson. "We have civilians, about twenty, inside the food court."

"Secure for the recovery team," said Becker.

Abby's face showed horror. "It could have been a massacre."

"You lost one life, but saved 20, makes it a tad easier to live with, don't you think?" asked Matt.

"Yeah, and that's something Mulden would be grateful for, lives saved, and I can at least tell his wife and son that much."

Abby smiled at Becker, and squeezed his hand.

"Let's go back to the ARC," Becker said, then switched to the comm., "Jess, we're coming home."

Jess behaved professionally upon their return to the ARC. She collected the black boxes. She assembled the contact information for Mulden's family, and sadly updated his personnel file to deceased.

When she saw Becker all sense of professionalism went out the window. She ran up to him and jumped into his arms.

"Thank God. Oh, thank God you're all right," she said. Then she jumped down. "Do you...remember me?" He had said he 'remembered everything,' but she needed to hear him say that he remembered her.

She looked so fragile and scared. He really shouldn't have, but he couldn't help it. "Of course I remember you," he said, kissing her cheek. "You're Abigail."

She pulled out of his arms, and hit him. The look on his face though, made up for it. He was smiling and chuckling.

"Yes, Jess Parker, I remember you. You crashed my stakeout with Chinese, fell asleep on my arm, you have me buying you daily doses of chocolate, you're allergic to insects, you have a sick obsession with footwear, and you're brilliant."

She smiled.

"I also think you're beautiful," he said, watching her blush. "I remembered something else, and I'm not proud of it."

"What?"

"I've never told you how I feel, not after the bomb, or the beetles, or even after the future predators had you and Lester trapped. I should have told you a long time ago," he pulled her close, looking into her eyes. "Jess, I think I love you."

Before she could reply, he bent down and kissed her. It was a long, deep, sensuous kiss that left her breathless.

When they finally pulled away, her eyes teared up and she said, "Oh, Becker. I love you, so much." They stood for a few moments, simply staring.

Then he returned her to his embrace, kissing her breathless once more. They heard loud coughing, laughing, and some applause behind them.

"About time," said Connor.

"What brought this on, finally?" asked Abby with a smirk.

"You two have been acting a little strange," said Matt.

"Yeah," said Becker. "I, uh, forgot something and Jess helped me remember."

"By kissing you?" asked Connor as Abby smacked him.

"We're happy for you," said Abby. She grinned at Jess. Jess didn't say anything, just hung on to Becker, a little shyly.

"Maybe it was that smack on his head," said Matt. "Finally knocked some sense into him," said Matt as he left, the others following, except Becker and Jess.

Becker grinned. "It kind of did—in a roundabout way."

Jess smiled. "Would you like to come back to my flat?" she asked. His eyebrow rose. "We could have dinner, watch a movie, and just...see where things go."

"That sounds great. I'd love to...see where things go," he said and kissed her. "I definitely want to remember this," he said, running his fingers on her lips.

"The memories are just starting," she said, hopping up to kiss him.

The End