Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

2.1-2 Another Time, Another Place

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James Lester wasn't that demanding now was he?

Just because the core team had been up all night chasing raptors in a shopping mall didn't mean they couldn't come in to greet the new PR person.

"Let me introduce you to Percival Haversham-Smythe III," said Lester.

Cutter turned to look at the slender young man that sauntered across the floor towards him. He blinked.

"Percy," smiled the young man, "my friends call me Percy."

Cutter shook his head, a slight smile tugging up the corners of his lips. "You're not exactly what I expected," began the Scot "what do you think you're going to do here?"

The younger man tilted his head as he gazed at the professor appraisingly. The he squared his narrow shoulders and stood up as tall as he could.

"I'm the best PR man in the business," replied Percy. "If you want me to make people think they haven't seen dinosaurs… I can do that. Or if you want me to make people think there are dinosaurs in London… I can do that too… and if necessary… I can make people love the dinosaurs."

"You'll do," chuckled Nick.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Nick Cutter looked around. The new office space was huge. And it was strangely disconcerting to see so many new people, new equipment. But he didn't see the one face he was looking for. After leaving the hospital last week, Nick had dropped Claudia at her flat. With all the chaos of closing out his offices at the university and moving into their new office space, he hadn't seen her since.

He had meant to stop by her flat after work last night, but the anomaly in the shopping mall had changed his plans. He, Stephen, Abby and Connor had been in the shopping center all night. Nick wanted nothing more than to go home to sleep, but first he had to know.

"Claudia Brown," asked Nick "where is she?"

Lester looked at him in surprise.

"Well, surely you understand," Lester replied "not everyone from the home office was assigned to our new Anomaly Research Center.

"What do you mean?" Nick roared in disbelief. "We need her here."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Stephen's ankle hurt, he was going to the medic's office… if he could find it… but he was tired of carrying that raptor's head. It wasn't something you could just leave in the bowling alley though.

The office across from the medic was open. Stephen stepped inside quickly. He stashed the creatures head out of sight, laying it on the chair.

Then Stephen crossed the hall to the medic's office.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby was standing next to Connor when Cutter shouted.

Her head ached and her muscles hurt with every movement she made. Cutter's bellow made Abby flinch back. She stepped sort of off kilter and swayed. Abby might have fallen, but for Connor catching her.

Lester looked at the pair sternly. "Is something wrong?" he asked "You don't know how much paperwork is required to document an accident in the workplace."

"I shot her," explained Connor "with the tranquilizer gun… I mean… not on purpose of course… Abby's like one of the last people on earth that I would ever…"

Their boss rolled his eyes. "Who gave Connor a gun?" he asked.

"I did," answered Abby "so it's my fault, yeah."

"No Abby," objected Connor "it's my…"

"Oh let's not play the blame game," interrupted Lester "Abby… why don't you go home… get some rest."

"Yeah," said Abby. She looked at Connor. He was reading some papers he was holding and absentmindedly twirling the dial of a radio sitting on the table in front of him. She sighed. All week long, and she had never had a chance to talk to Connor… and after tonight, she thought that was probably a good thing.

Connor had been apologizing profusely since he had shot her with the tranquilizer gun. He said he wouldn't want to shoot her or his Mum… Abby figured that if Connor thought of her in the same manner as his Mum he probably wasn't flirting with her. Watching him now, Abby was sure he wasn't interested in her at all.

She was sure; he was more interested in radio static than Abby.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor was thinking, it was safer than not thinking.

He had been trying, really trying, trying very hard, to not think about Abby all week long.

And for a moment that night he had succeeded. He had left her alone and unconscious on the floor of the bowling alley. Connor couldn't believe it. By not thinking about Abby, he almost got her killed.

And now she was angry with him. Connor couldn't blame her really. If he hadn't been trying to impress her, he would never have shot her in the first place.

When Lester told Abby she could go home, Connor pretended to be very busy… he had reports to read, radio dials to twirl.

Really, he knew she wasn't interested in a geek like him.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Oliver Leek listened to Lester's tirade. Really, the man was just insufferable. Leek couldn't wait until he got rid of the bureaucrat.

"No Lester," Leek replied in an unctuous tone "it won't happen again. It was just an unfortunate mix up… the security team went to the wrong shopping mall."

"See that it doesn't happen again," growled his boss.

Leek turned to hide his smile as he went out the door. Oh, it would happen again. If Leek had anything to do with it, the security team would be off on a wild goose chase every time they had an anomaly. It was time for Leek to get back to his own office. It might not have a grand view, or posh furniture, but it was conveniently located across from the medic's office.

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