When Kyle and Jessi arrived at the location for the board meeting, they found the door closed and a couple of muscular men in suits obviously guarding it. Upon seeing them one of them said, "Wait a moment, please." Then he spoke into a microphone at his wrist.

In a moment, the door opened to let a tall thin blonde woman through. She looked at them with a bright smile, "Kyle, Jessi, I'm Gabrielle, I work for the board. They are still working through their agenda. You are the last item and should be coming up soon. Would you mind waiting out here until they get to you."

"Of course not," Kyle answered.

"Good, I'll come back for you then. Is there anything you need in the meantime?" She asked, "Something to drink?"

Kyle answered, "No, we're fine."

They sat in a couple of nearby chairs.

I recognized the facility. The last time I had been here, we had been trying to escape with Amanda. Jessi had come out that door carrying her, while I got hit with that rubber bullet. I hoped that this meeting would have a better result.

Kyle reached over and took Jessi's hand. She smiled at him, they waited in silence.

The door opened once more and Gabrielle came though. "They're ready for you now. Would you come this way?" They walked along a short curved corridor to a red door. She opened it and waved them in.

As they entered the room, they saw the large, round table. There were twelve lighted places, eleven of them were taken. The empty one had two chairs placed at it. Gabrielle closed the door behind them.

Grace was sitting across from the empty spot. She stood up and said, "Welcome, Kyle, Jessi, we thought it would make poetic sense for the two of you to share Adam's place, she indicated the open space. Kyle took the chair on the right, Jessi the one on the left. As they sat, Grace sat back down. Cassidy was not at the table but was seated behind her to the right. The Asian woman to Kyle's right gave them a welcoming smile. The bald man to Jessi's left glanced at them coldly but then looked away. Jessi moved slightly closer to Kyle.

The light haired gentleman to Grace's left said, "I'm Ben Crossgate. I am currently chairman of the board. I would like to start by extending our apologies for the manner in which we first contacted you. It was ill conceived and caused unnecessary harm. I'm hoping we can work through that."

Kyle answered, "So are we. That's why we are here."

Crossgate continued, "I notice you are both wearing Latnok rings, which is a pleasant surprise. I hope it represents a good omen. I haven't seen the red one in a long time. Grace, I believe you met with Kyle and Jessi, would you like to summarize the situation for us?"

Grace said, "Certainly. Our misguided approach to Kyle, involving the kidnapping of Amanda Bloom, generated an understandable level of distrust. Additionally there were events related to the destruction of an unauthorized experiment that generated a high level of hostility. In a reasonable attempt to stabilize the situation, Kyle requested a meeting with this board. Kyle has indicated a desire to have direct knowledge of us. Kyle and Jessi offer to work with Latnok on a limited basis and desire, in exchange, an assurance that no further threats will be made or actions taken against their family. Is that essentially correct, Kyle?"

Kyle answered, "Yes, Adam told me that you were visionaries, great humanitarians. But kidnapping my girlfriend and threatening my family doesn't generate trust. I know that Sarah Emmerson distrusted this organization and now she is gone. I've wanted to stay away. But I've seen good work being done under Latnok's guidance at the university and know that there are things that Jessi and I can do to help. We are willing to do that but not while our loved ones are at risk."

Grace said, "Speaking for the board, I can assure you that no one from Latnok has any intention of presenting any threat to your family. Please, set your mind at ease on that matter." She looked around, "Does anyone have any comments?"

The heavy set man to Grace's right said, "I will admit to being puzzled that we invited the girl to the meeting as well as Kyle. I thought that we had made a determination to work solely with him."

Kyle said, "Jessi and I are a team. I insisted that we either both come or neither of us would."

The Asian looking woman to Kyle's right said, "Mike, We may have been wrong in that judgment. I would like to point out that our kidnapping resulted in the two of them working together to stage a rather effective raid on this facility. Jessi is obviously quite capable. We may have done Brian Taylor an injustice."

A man a couple of seats to the left of Jessi said, "Along the lines of effective raids, they also carried out an effective termination of the unauthorized experiment." He looked at Kyle, "This does trouble me, though, why would you terminate an attempt to repeat the process that yielded the two of you? You are proof of its success."

Kyle answered, "You wanted to create people with advanced abilities. You have succeeded. But as those people, we have to tell you that growing up in a family, with contact with others is an essential part of living in the human race. Jessi and I strongly feel the lack of that childhood. Entering the world as teenagers with no background was traumatic. I had the luck that Nicole Trager found me right away, it took longer for Jessi and she's had more trouble." Kyle gave Jessi a reassuring smile. Kyle continued, "I have heard that you were more interested in me than Jessi, because I seemed more stable, but I will remind you that Zzyzx was going to terminate me because, even unconscious, I began to take control of the situation and posed a threat to them. We are not machines, we are human beings." Kyle looked around the table and continued, "We have no interest in harming anyone, all we want is to try to connect with people and do some good in the world." He paused for a moment and added, "But … If we didn't care about hurting people, we would have the potential to do great harm. And that potential is growing as we learn to use our abilities." Kyle paused, letting that sink in and continued, "The experiment was an attempt to create dozens of people like us with vast intellect and unusual capabilities with an impaired connection to the human race. They would be uncontrollable and, being individuals, have a variety of approaches to the world. Inevitably, some would not have our inhibitions toward causing harm. It was a recklessly dangerous thing to attempt. It would have ended in disaster."

The man to the left of Crossgate said, "Kyle, I'm Ryan Melland, it is amazing to finally meet you, to meet both of you. But we've sought to enhance human abilities for the last twenty years, are you telling me we must abandon that?"

Kyle answered, "No, but you need to focus on the fact that it isn't just intellect that you are seeking but people who successfully interact with other people. And, perhaps we were too far to go in one step. The gap between us and even the brightest people at the University Latnok office is great." Kyle opened his hands, "Also, the first way you accomplish something is not necessarily the best way. It may be possible with our activated brains to find other, less drastic ways of improving people's ability to use their own brains."

Crossgate said, "I think that is going to be a long discussion, and personally, I think it is obvious that Kyle and Jessi should be a part of it. They have a perspective that none of us can fully understand." He paused for a moment, looking at the Latnok ring on Kyle's hand. "We had thought that someday you would take Adam's seat. Seeing you sitting in it, wearing his ring makes me wonder if that day is now."

Ryan Melland said, "We did talk about that possibility. It seems early, but I can see your point about including them in the discussion." He looked around the table, "Certainly no one can say that his intellect falls short of our standards!" There were quiet chuckles around the room.

Kyle objected, "I am willing to be a part of this organization, or I wouldn't be wearing Adam's ring. But Jessi deserves to be as well. You have underestimated her. She is as capable as I am."

Crossgate said, "Kyle, our rules limit us to twelve board members. We've kept Adam's seat open in his honor, but we do have only one available spot."

The Asian woman next to Kyle said, "They've said that they're a team. They're currently sharing Adam's place, why don't we let them share the seat."

The bald man sitting next to Jessi frowned, "That's very unusual, Allana, how would that work?"

Allana answered, "We could consider them as sending a representative to the board. They could decide who is going to take the seat at any meeting. They would only have one vote, of course."

A white haired man across the table to Kyle's left said. "I think we are getting ahead of ourselves here. I admit we miss Adam, but Kyle is still a teenager. He may have Adam's ring, but he isn't Adam. Is it really appropriate to put him on the board at this time, not to mention the girl? This is all very sudden."

The Black woman to his right said, "Paul, they represent what we were formed to try to achieve. What we dreamed of twenty years ago. Yes, they need to gain experience, but having them meet with us will let them learn from us. I'd like to see them regularly."

The man who had questioned Jessi's participation said, "I could be comfortable with having Kyle on the board. We have talked about that in the past. I'm less comfortable having Jessi on it as well, she has demonstrated less stability. I mean no offence, Jessi. Kyle has explained the differences in your paths to date. I suppose, though, I would be willing for Kyle to have her sit in for him at a meeting so I guess it amounts to the same thing. Clearly there is no secrecy issue."

The bald man said, "I think it's premature, but I'm not adamantly against it. The idea of having Kyle in that seat is not new, as you say."

Crossgate said, "We may be getting ahead of ourselves. Jessi, you haven't said that you were willing to serve."

Jessi said, "If Kyle is willing to, so am I."

Crossgate said, "So, this looks like it may be a viable path. Does anyone have anything they feel they need to add before we have a motion?" He looked around, "Ok, then, do we have a motion?"

Allana smiled at them, "I move that Kyle and Jessi share Adam's seat at the board rotated between them at their discretion."

Grace nodded, "I second the motion."

Crossgate said, "Ok, in favor?" Most of the hands went up. "Opposed?" The bald man and a couple others raised their hands. He continued, "The record should indicate that the motion carried. Kyle, Jessi, welcome to the Latnok board."

Mike, the man sitting to Grace's right said, "Kyle, Jessi, welcome. I'm Mike Kasperson, by the way. You say that you are willing to work with us on a limited basis. Could you explain what you mean by limited? It's very important that we explore what you can do."

Kyle looked at him, "Well, first, as I explained, it is important that we continue to learn to connect with people. While the normal activities of teenagers might seem trivial compared to the matters you deal with, we need to have as normal a life as possible with our family. There may also be projects that we disagree with or do not wish to participate in. We will not be forced into working on things we feel are unethical."

Mike shrugged and looked around the table, "No one is asking you to do anything unethical. That seems reasonable to me. You would continue working with Cassidy at the University of Washington group?"

Jessi said, "I won't work with Cassidy, he murdered my mother. He killed Sarah."

Cassidy stood up from his place behind Grace and looked around the room nervously, "Jessi, I know you think that, and I'm sorry, but I've told you I don't know what happened to Sarah." He spread his hands and looked to the table in general, "I don't."

"You're lying," Jessi said, "I can hear your heartbeat when you lie." Kyle put his hand on Jessie's arm and she looked at him and nodded. She looked around the table and explained, "Kyle and I can have acute hearing when we wish, we also have a holographic memory. We can perfectly remember any place we've been." She looked back at Cassidy, rage rebuilding, "I remember standing next to you in the hallway while you carried a basket of clothes with visible blood on them. We were able to follow a blood trail from Sarah's apartment to yours. I could hear her heartbeat coming from your apartment, slowing as she died." Jessi glanced down, swallowed, and then glared at Cassidy again, "You kept me standing talking to you in the hallway while my mother died."

The monitor on the wall behind him shattered in a splash of sparks. Several board members jumped in reaction.

Jessi finished accusingly, "I was there. I remember everything." Cassidy looked around then sat back down in the face of Jessi's glare.

The room was silent for a long moment. Mike Kasperson stared at the monitor and then back at Jessi. Finally, Ben Crossgate broke the silence. "Kyle?" he asked looking at him.

Kyle gave Jessi's arm a reassuring squeeze and said firmly, "One of the things the two of us can do together is that we can share memories. We do need the other's cooperation for this. With Jessi's permission, I shared her memories of that night. I experienced the memory of everything that happened myself. That's what she experienced."

There was a long moment of silence as the tension level in the room came down from the peak of Jessi's accusation and the pyrotechnics. Grace broke the silence "I have a suggestion."

Crossgate said, "Grace…"

Grace continued, looking around the table, "Obviously this will have to be dealt with further. I don't think, though, that here is the proper time and venue. Clearly though, Kyle and Jessi cannot be expected to work with Cassidy. In fact," she said, looking at Jessi, "I think it would be wise to avoid them having further interactions with him altogether." There were nods around the table. "If it is acceptable to the board, I would be willing to personally take over the management of the University of Washington group, at least temporarily. Would this be acceptable to you, Jessi?"

Jessi reluctantly looked away from Cassidy and nodded, "Yes."

Grace continued, "And to you Kyle?"

Kyle said, "If it's ok with Jessi, then it's ok with me."

Ben Crossgate said, "That seems reasonable to me. Does anyone have any objection?" He looked around the table and saw none. "Then that's what we'll do. Thank you, Grace."

He took a deep breath, "Does anyone have anything else?" No one said anything. He continued, "Well, this certainly has to be one of the most dramatic meetings during my tenure … I declare the meeting adjourned. Gabrielle will be in touch with you with details of the next meeting. Thank you all."

Grace said, "Kyle, Jessi, please stay behind. We need to get a couple of details straightened out."

Kyle took Jessi's hand, and she smiled at him. They watched the members leave. Several nodded to them, a couple smiled. Cassidy didn't look at them. As they were leaving, Grace got up from her seat and took the seat next to Kyle.

When they were alone, she looked at Jessi then said, "Tomorrow morning, Cassidy and I will announce to the students at the University group that I am taking over direct management. We'll get him cleared out in the morning. It would be better if you avoided the facility until he's gone. Later in the afternoon, if you could come by, I'll make the further announcement that the two of you will be designated as assistant directors. You clearly stand above the students and having that position might make it more palatable. they are a competitive group and very bright by normal standards. Is that acceptable?"

Kyle looked at Jessi who nodded to him and then said, "It will be fine."

She smiled, "Good, tomorrow is a new day for Latnok!"

The meeting we had dreaded was over. I had gone there concerned about what the Latnok board would do to Amanda and my family. Now I was on the Latnok board, along with Jessi. It may have been what Adam Baylin had intended when he passed his ring to me. Amanda and the Tragers were safe. Jessie and I had what we wanted as well as a new role at the UW Latnok group. Everything would be perfect, except for one thing. Grace Kingsley was lying to us.