Gilette, Wyoming, 2019

"Well he has a dislocated knee, a pretty badly bruised jaw and a minor concussion from his fall to the ground. But he should be fine." Dr. Alan said as she placed Brandon's X-Rays on the light box. Lydecker stood beside her momentarily looking at the X-Rays before looking back through the two way window into his sons exam room. "He might need knee surgery, but we'll see. He needs to keep off it and ice it, we were lucky that we could pop it back into place." Lydecker crossed his arms across his chest and kept his glare on his son, who was now awake and flirting with one of the nurses in his room. Well that didn't take long; at least I know that part of his brain wasn't affected by this.

"He should probably just stay in bed anyway for a few days with that concussion, no driving or anything like that." She continued. Lydecker rubbed his forehead. "I'd also say he should probably eat soft foods, not to aggravate his jaw any further." Well there is one advantage to working at a secret government facility, top of the line doctors. He nodded.

"Any meds?" Lydecker questioned. She smiled.

"Eh, not really, ibuprofen or something like that to keep the swelling down. But unless he's in pain I don't really think he needs anything else. He probably will need some physical therapy though." He glanced once more at Brandon before turning his head to Dr. Lauren Alan. Well Brandon definitely got the best looking doctor on staff. Dr. Alan had been at Manticore less than a year, she was a young woman in her late twenties. She had long blonde hair, green eyes, thin, smart, and very good at every task that was assigned to her. Lydecker noticed that he had let his eyes wander to long on the woman in front of him. Ugh, grow up. He told himself.

"Impressive Doctor." He said as he leaned back against the wall. Brandon wasn't the only flirt in the family, he had gotten it from somewhere. "How long have you been on staff?" She smiled and he cheeks turned red.

"Thank you sir, it will be a year next month."

"If everything turns out ok with Brandon, there might be a promotion in the very near future." Lydecker said with a smile.

"Sir, that isn't necessary. I'm just happy he's ok."

"No, it is. A strong work ethic and someone who is good at their work deserves to be recognized. Continue with that Doctor, it will take you places." She smiled and nodded.

"Thank you Colonel." He turned the conversation back to his son.

"He'll be here for a few days. Look in on him?" Might as well give him something to look at if Brandon was going to be stuck here.

"Definitely, Sir." Lydecker nodded and turned on his heel and stopped for a minute and took a breath before entering his son's room.

Barstow, California

The rain continued to pour outside and the sun was beginning to poke through the clouds as a new day began. Zack had stopped at a hotel so that they could get some sleep. However, there was no sleep happening. Kaitlyn had showered and put on robe while her clothes dried. She had said nothing since her outburst in the car and he knew it wasn't going to be easy to get anything out of her. He had been watching her from across the room for the past hour, half heartedly flipping through a magazine. She sat on the windowsill, her back resting against the wall and her knees pulled to her chest.

"Kat?" He said softly. She turned her head slowly and looked at Zack. He was sitting across the room at the table. His head was resting in his hands and he looked exhausted.

"What?" She said softly as she turned her head back to staring out the window. Kaitlyn could here the sound of the chair shuffling against the carpet, and his footsteps. He sat at her feet and rested his head on her knees.

"Talk to me baby." He whispered. "Tell me what happened." Kaitlyn closed her eyes for a minute and could feel his fingers pushing her hair out of her face. She sniffled and wiped her nose with her arm.

"I'm a horrible person." She barley even whispered. He rubbed her thigh as a few tears fell from her eyes. "You hate me." She wiped the tears away with the sleeve of her robe. Zack closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled." She looked out the window. "I was scared, I thought he got you." Kaitlyn nodded.

"I know, it just didn't help." Zack didn't say anything he just continued to rub her thigh. He tilted his head to the side continuing to rest on her knees. "You know he's the only one who has ever been there for me, no matter what." She said keeping her gaze on her lap, and softly tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Who?" Zack asked.

"Brandon." He closed his eyes. What did she do? "I mean I have you now, but when I was little and before my dad came into the picture." She stopped for a minute. "I mean Lydecker. But it was always me and Brandon, and it always has been." She sighed. "If I could change any of this, it would be him, some how make him understand, or just not be involved at all." Zack nodded as he continued to stroke her. Kaitlyn swallowed as more tears trailed down her face.

"He had taken out his phone, and was going to call for back up… I didn't even think Zack. I just acted; I remember kicking the gun out of his hand and then him hitting the ground." Zack slipped his hand into hers. "I think I broke his knee, and jaw…. I just sat next to him… He had a pulse, but I didn't mean…." Her voice trailed off and she began to cry again.

"It's ok baby." Zack whispered as he sat up and grabbed her into his hold.

"No, its not! Nothing is!" She sobbed. Zack grabbed her tighter and cradled her in his arms till she fell asleep.

Lydecker entered his son's room to find him still chatting up one of the nurses. Just as I left him, fantastic. She was sitting on Brandon's bed, her back to him, and laughing loudly about whatever they were talking about. Neither one of them seemed to notice him standing in the doorway. He rolled his eyes before loudly clearing his throat. The young girl turned and upon seeing Lydecker she immediately stood up, clearly flustered.

"Out." He said flatly.

"I apologize sir." She said softly as she lowered her head and walked out. Brandon's grin slowly disappeared from his face as he saw the look on his fathers face.

"Dad, that sucked." He said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah well, sorry for interrupting." Lydecker answered as he made his way to his son's bedside. He grabbed a chair on the way and pushed it close to Brandon's bedside. He sighed and sat down. "Well I'm glad to see your ok."

"Eh, I've been better." Brandon muttered as he leaned back into the pillows that the nurse had fluffed moments earlier for him. "What was her name anyway?" Lydecker threw his head back and rubbed his forehead.

"Brandon shut up. Do you realize why you're here?" He asked. Brandon nodded. "God you never listen, you and your sister are impossible." Brandon shrugged and looked away.

"What the hell happened in that alley?"

"I tripped." Brandon said softly. Lydecker laughed.

"Nice try. The truth would be nice now." He paused. "I have a folder in my office I can get which has the pictures of the X5s if you can identify which one it was." Brandon went to talk and Lydecker interrupted him. "Don't tell me some BS story either that it wasn't one of them, because I can tell its one of their work." Brandon sighed.

"I don't need the pictures."

"Why?" Lydecker questioned.

"Because I know which one it was." Brandon answered.

"How?" Lydecker was intrigued. How the hell does he know? Brandon turned back to his father and looked at him.

"It was Kaitlyn dad." His heart stopped. She had been gone nearly seven months with no trace. She reappears by beating the shit out of Brandon? Do I even know her anymore?

"Are you-" Brandon cut him off.

"100%, it was her." Lydecker stared at him telling him to continue with his eyes. "She was with Zack." Lydecker closed his eyes and put his head in his hands. Well at least seven months later, nothing has changed… "I saw them on the fire escape… I didn't know it was them so I went to check it out. I pulled out my gun and cocked it and the both of them turned around." Lydecker pulled his head up and looked at his son. "She immediately jumped between him and the gun, and told him to go… It took a few attempts but she got him to leave."

"Where you going to call me at any point?" Lydecker asked. Brandon glared back at him.

"I was getting to that, I grabbed my phone and she kicked the gun out of my hand and I lost my phone in the process. I think she jumped and ended up on the other side of me… and that's all I really remember."

"Did you answer your phone during any of this?" Brandon thought for a second before shaking his head no.

"Not that I can remember." Lydecker sighed. It had to have been Kaitlyn that answered, he was a mere 1,000 feet away from her and she slipped away. "Why?"

"I called you when I couldn't find you… She must have answered and hung up right away." Brandon nodded. "What did she look like?" His father questioned. Brandon flashed back for a second. Long light straight blonde hair, but it could have been a light brown. Her eyes looked different, maybe green? Then he stopped and thought about what she had said.

"Brandon will you give it up? Let me go, I'm happy."

Lydecker interrupted his thoughts.

"Well?" Brandon thought for another few seconds.

"Brandon will you give it up? Let me go, I'm happy."

"She looked the same." He stated flatly.

"Are you sure?" Lydecker asked.

"Let me go, I'm happy."

"Yeah." He stopped and looked into his fathers eyes. "Positive." Lydecker nodded.

"I'll be back in a few." He said as he stood up and left the room. Brandon let out a loud sigh. Be happy Kaitlyn, please be happy.