2001

It had been almost ten years since the boat explosion that had changes Robert's live forever. He knew Anna had survived and that she had amnesia as result of her injuries. To save her and Robin he had agreed to the WSB's conditions. He could have no contact with his family and had to follow their orders, they made him their killer, he had been working black ops ever since. Robert still held on to the dream that the WSB might one day let him go.

Robert was kept informed about Robin, he knew about her having HIV. It had broken his heart when he had been told about it, mostly because all he wanted to do was go to her and be her dad, hold her and tell her she would get through it. His damned agreement with the WSB stopped him from that, these were the times he hated the agreement the most. He was doing this for his family but it also kept him from them.

She was in Paris now, and on a couple of occasions, he had watched her there. He couldn't talk to her or let Robin see him, but just getting to see her with his own eyes would make him happy for a little while. At least Robert knew where Robin was, the same thing couldn't be said about Anna. When he found out she'd went missing Robert had desperately wanted to go search for her. The WSB wouldn't let him, instead, they sent him to South America on an extended assignment, with a promise they would look for her. Robert didn't know if the WSB had been looking for Anna or not but it was made very clear they wouldn't let him, they reminded him they know where Robin was. Robert hated their veiled threat but accepted that they had all the power.

Robert had been on assignment in Europe when, while reading the local paper he saw Anna's face looking up at him from the page. He looked again then read the article. Dr. Alexandra Devane, so not his Anna, they really did look alike though, they could have been twins he thought. She was also a Devane maybe they were related. Robert wasn't really sure why but after learning of Alex he had kept tabs on her, in a way he felt like she was somehow a connection to Anna. It must have been a year now since Alex had gotten married and moved to Pine Valley.

...

In Paris once again, Robert made sure to find time to look in on Robin, he didn't think of it as spying when he watched her. Who was that man she had met with, Robert knew he had seen him somewhere before. It came to him one night while on yet another assignment. He had seen him in a picture with Alex and her husband. There was a connection then, but what? Why was this man talking to Robin? When he was done here Robert would do a little research into this man, that somehow knew Robin and her mother's look-a-like. He learned that Edmund Grey was an investigative reporter, who owned Tempo magazine. He was also Alex's brother-in-law. When he was sent on yet another assignment, Robert still didn't know why he would have met with Robin.

...

It had seemed like years since Robert had last been in Washington. This last assignment had been rough, he'd gone months without communication from the WSB, he was deep undercover. Robert found himself in the middle of a firefight, but in the end, he got his target and got away with a few new bullet holes. No communication from the WSB meant no news about his family, that was always the hardest part.

Robert walked into WSB headquarters looking exhausted. When his supervisor saw Robert, he thought maybe we've been pushing him a little too much lately, this next assignment can wait. "Why has my presence been requested this time? Where am I going next?" Robert hated what he had become, just their mindless killer.

"You look like you could use a little time off to recover so the next assignment can wait. That isn't why you're here though." Why had he been dragged in here then he wondered? "There's news about Anna," this got Robert's attention, "she still has amnesia but she was located in Pine Valley."

"How is she? Is she healthy, is she alright?" Robert demands.

"She was treated in the hospital there under a fake name and is now staying in Pine Valley that is all you need to know. She is alive and we know where. You can not contact her. You can not see her. Do I need to remind you what is at stake if you do?"

"No you don't, I understand." Robert stands up and leaves the office.

As soon as he had left Robert was already wondering if he can get to Pine Valley without the WSB knowing. I'll go to New York, it wouldn't be the first time I've had gone there when not on assignment, he thinks. He had told them it was easy to go unseen there. Hopefully, they'd believe that's why he's there this time too. After a few days he would make his way to Pine Valley, he needed to see Anna, he needed to know that it really was her. Robert told himself he would just watch, if that could be enough with Robin, it would have to be with Anna as well. Over the next couple days, he found out all he could about Anna and why she was in Pine Valley. It turned out Alex was her twin after all and they had somehow found each other. That man, Edmund most have gone to see Robin because of Anna. Had they seen each other Robert wondered, he hoped so.

The agent that had been asked to keep an eye on Robert had reported that yes Robert was looking into information about Anna but it seemed like that was all he was doing. The agent was thanked and told to get back to what he had been working on.

It had been four days since Robert learned about Anna, the agent hadn't been following him yesterday, so he would leave today. Robert knew where she was, someplace called Wildwind, by the afternoon Robert would be there and he will see her, he has too.