"Action Man Says He's Coming."

Becker watched in horror as the pristichampsus roared and lunged at Jessi. She launched herself into the air and landed on top of the beast's snout as a snow leopard. The croc's jaws snapped shut as her weight hit it. Using her powerful back legs she pushed herself up, over it's back and landed behind the it. She ducked as it took a swipe with it's tail. It twisted around to face her and roared.

"I'm comin'. I'm comin'!", Abby said quickly as she dug through a bag.

Pristichampsus lunged at her again. She leapt up on one of the plastic tables near by. That was too close. Suddenly he heard voices. Two people came around the corner of the building and stopped dead in their tracks. The croc turned at the sound and started quickly their way. Before he could yell at the people Jessi had already jumped down from the table and took after it. She scratched the beast's tail and it whipped around to see what had hurt it.

"Abby we've got to do something!", he said urgently.

He couldn't shoot it or he'd risk hitting Jessi from up here, he had to get a better angle. Becker turned to run down the stairs but Abby grabbed his leg to stop him.

"Don't. She knows what she's doin', this is her job. Besides you have a good chance of hitting her too", she said as she dug through the bag.

"Then what do we do?! Sit here and wait for you to tranquilize it?! I don't think so!" he said angrily.

Just then Abby jumped up and ran to the ledge.

"Jessi! Let it go. I can't find the darts. It's hurt and probably just wants to go home", she called.

Jessi was on another plastic table. She turned to Abby and nodded.

"Jessi! Follow it and make sure that's where it goes", Cutter added.

She sprang into the air and was an eagle once again. After a moment the pristichampsus turned and hurried to the river where it swam off. Jessi flew over it keeping tabs. Becker an Abby turned and dashed down stairs.

Cutter and the girl had made it to the ground by the time they reached them. Jenny was with her already and was talking to her. Cutter walked up to them at a brisk pace.

"We gotta get back to the museum before that thing does", he said as they and the most of the rest of Becker's men headed back to the vehicles.

Becker got into the truck and followed the professor alone. He felt betrayed, angry, hurt and shocked.

*What is she and why did she not tell me? That could've gotten people killed! Does she not trust me? Who? What? Where? When? Why? HOW?!* the questions rolled around in his mind like a bunch of marbles.

Then he remembered what she said earlier. That he would have a lot of questions. Had she seen this coming?

He pulled up to the museum behind Cutter. His questions would have to wait until later.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jessi's POV

Pristichampsus limped up the main stairs of the museum favoring it's left hind leg. It left a trail of big drops of blood behind it. Jessi followed it closely, ducking behind bushes and statues to keep from freaking it out. Once she made sure that was where it was going she rushed to the loading docks knowing that was where the team would go. They were going under the big metal door as she reached them. Becker and his men had their guns up. Conner stood between the pristichampsus and the anomaly, which was partially surrounded by boxes and crates. Sarah had opened the door they had come through.

"Conner get out of the way", Cutter said sternly.

But there was no place for him to go. The boxes and crates acted like a funnel leading the croc to them and the anomaly off to their left and they were blocking the door. So Conner grabbed a near by chain and rock climbed up a tall stack of crates. Pristichampsus stopped, Jessi felt it's confusion.

"Guys, just please get him back though the anomaly", Conner pleaded.

Becker stepped forward and took aim at it but Cutter put his hand out and stopped him.

"Don't shoot", He ordered.

Becker looked pissed. "My job is to keep you alive!" he snarled.

He went to raise his gun again but it was Jessi who stopped him again. "Please", she met his eyes.

To her surprise they softened a little and with a very annoyed sigh he gave in, but he didn't lower his gun.

"Ahh! I'm too young to die!" Conner squeaked.

Pristichampsus heard him and lunged up and snapped at him. Jessi saw the gears in Dr. Page's mind working overtime.

"Bow!" she said suddenly.

Everyone looked at her with confused looks.

"What?" Cutter asked.

"Bow down", she repeated sounding more sure.

"What are you talking about?" Cutter asked again.

"This creature is use to being treated like a god. They would've bowed as a sign of respect" , she said lowering herself to the ground.

"If it doesn't think we're a threat it might not attack",Abby added.

It made sense to Jessi.

"I'm not bowing",Becker said stubbornly.

"Get down on the floor", Cutter said as they lowered themselves never taking his eyes off the croc.

"What?!"

"Just do it!" Jessi jerked him down by his belt.

They didn't have time for this! Everyone was kneeling on the floor now.

"Keep your gun handy", Cutter told Becker who easily obliged.

The pristichampsus look wary. It hissed and limped foreword slowly. Jessi reached out with her mind and encouraged it. It stopped for the last time a foot and a half a a way and hissed. Everyone leaned back as it climbed over a box and disappeared into the anomaly. A sigh of relief slipped past everyones' lips. Suddenly Conner lost his grip and fell on his back on the floor.

"Ow!"

Cutter turned to Dr. Page. "Nice call", he said.

"Thanks", she smiled a little.

Cutter walked over and helped Conner up.

"That's got to be the end of the curse now right?" Conner said hopefully.

"Here's hoping" Dr. Page said.

Abby and Jessi exchanged confused looks," Curse?"

Dr. Page walked over to them and said quietly, " I made it up"

Abby face became instantly amused and Jessi chuckled.

"Don't tell him yet", Abby said with a smirk.

"Coarse not!" she replied.

Jessi walked over to see what Conner and Cutter were talking about.

"You alright?" Jessi asked Conner.

"Oh yea. Brilliant", Conner replied looking at the wall of boxes and crates. He turned to Cutter. "Ya know, I think Stephan would've liked this one".

Cutter smirked, "I think he woulda liked Dr. Page even better".

Conner and Jessi smirked. It was probably true. At that point everyone began packing their things up and heading for the vehicles. Jessi was unsure what to do. Should she ride with Becker again or with Abby and Conner and give him time to cool off? He hadn't met her eyes at all for a while.

Oh screw it! She hopped in to Becker's truck as he was getting ready to leave. An awkward silence filled the cab.

"I'm sorry",Jessi finally said.

"For what?" Becker ask with a mildly surprised expression.

"I should have told you the moment you got here what I was...but I guess I got so caught up in seeing you again", she said looking at her boots. "It was stupid and I could have gotten someone killed".

His body softened a little but he was still mad at her.

"Why didn't you tell me at Sandhurst? " he asked sharply, there was pain in his eyes.

"Because I was a kid that was scared and all alone except for you. What would you have said? Do you really think you would have gone on and acted like nothing had changed?!" she snapped back.

"Yea I might have. I don't know!"

"I wanted to tell you! You have no idea how many times I almost did but I was scared. What would you have done?! Huh? With the whole Goddamn place baying at my throat like a pack of hounds and being a secret freak at the on top of that! There were so many nights I just wanted to fly away and leave with out a sound! You would've never known until the next morning. But I didn't, I stayed and Cowgirled up. I'd like to see you do better!"

The car was silent for a while. Jessi played with her torc.

"That last night when I left decided to tell you. I went looking for you after my shower and that's when Thompson found me. I swear there's no more secrets. It's too dangerous in this line of work and you're still my best friend", she said quietly.

He looked at her and then back to the road. She could see his brain processing what she had told him.

By now they had reached the ARC. They both got out and made their way into the building. Cutter was giving Conner orders on a new research program ahead of them.

"Hey. Come with me to my office please. You need to know exactly what I am and the story behind it all so this doesn't happen again", she said looking up at him.

Becker nodded as they walked into the main building.

"Please tell me you got that bad tempered reptile back in his box", Lester said as he walked down the ramp.

Jessi couldn't help but smile even in her bad mood. She looked up at Becker who was trying to hold back a smirk. In a burst of mischief she nudged him and gave him a big goofy smile when he looked down. He tried to hold it back but after a second he started laughing.

"Alright. You win", he chuckled.

"You doubted me?! Psh! Silly Soldier boy. Don't you know I always win?" she got up in his face a little and wiggled her eyebrows.

The next thing Jessi knew Becker had thrown her over his shoulder and began walking down the hallway to her office. He had his arm hook behind her knees.

"Becker!! Put me down! I need some papers out there", she said as slapped his back.

He just chuckled as he turned around and walked over to one of the islands.

"You could've just put me down you know?" Jessi said annoyed.

"No. Cause I wouldn't have been able to get you back", he said, she heard the smile in his voice.

"Here", Abby said as she handed Becker the folder Jessi needed smiling.

"Thanks Abby", Becker said and headed back down the hall.

"You're so dead to me Abbs!" Jessi laughed.

"No you know you love me still!" Abby called back.

They continued down the hall. He turned into her office and set her on one of the high stools. She glared up at him and stuck out her tongue. He laughed.

"Finally I have you all to myself!" he chuckled looking down at her.

"Mmm kinky", Jessi wiggled her eyebrows again and smirked.

Becker laughed, his chocolate eyes danced.

"I don't know about you but I could go for a beer and some chocolate", she said heading to a small refrigerator in her hectic room.

It was covered in a large stack of papers. She bent over and grabbed a pair of beers. When she turned around Becker was looking around the room with an all too innocent look on his face. Jessi dismissed it and tossed him the bottle. He thanked her and she bent over again and began digging through the frig.

"Fuck me sideways!!" she cursed as she grabbed the empty chocolate bag.

She heard a tiny, almost inaudible groan from behind her. She turned to see the same expression looking the other way.

"That innocent face doesn't fool me in the least, Beck", she said walking back to her desk.

It looked like all of the others in the main room. Stainless steel and high with a bunch of drawers on it's base. She tossed the empty bag away and took a sip of her beer.

"What were you cursing about?" Becker asked as he rested his elbows on the desk copying her.

Their faces were inches apart. His scent drifted over to Jessi.

*Mmmmm man*, she thought to herself.

"I realized I'm out of chocolate. I keep a bag of dark truffles in there for stressful days like today", she replied.

He chuckled. They stared into each others' eyes for a few minutes.

"So. The whole story, what are you?" he with a mind numbing smile.