~ X ~ Manhattan secured floor high security apartment building

The gleaming kitchen counters were organized with almost military precision. The necessary utensils were neatly laid out; measuring spoons, measuring cup, spatula, mixing bowl, electric beater, Bundt pan, and sifter as well as the all-important recipe. The ingredients were grouped together in their own area. John stood regarding everything with satisfaction.

He had scoured the internet without finding anything that appealed to him and finally, on what seemed like a whim, checked through a battered box of recipe cards Jedikiah had salvaged from his old apartment. When he came across this particular recipe, something told him it was the one.

Irene joined him in the kitchen, an old t-shirt thrown over the clothes she had worn to work.

"I don't see why I had to put this on."

"Ah," John fumbled and finally found a delicate way to phrase it, "you sometimes get carried away, and it would be a shame to ruin your clothes."

Irene shot him a haughty look before archly replying, "I'm much more conscious of my clothes now I want you to know."

"Of course you are." He responded in his most diplomatic and conciliatory manner. John waxed enthusiastic. "We're gonna do this, right? You're gonna help me show Jedikiah up, right?"

"You bet!" Irene responded cheerfully.

"Okay, here's the recipe I chose."

Irene picked up the old fashioned, dog eared, stained recipe card he shoved towards her. It was worn around the edges with a few smears of unknown origin. She wrinkled her nose at it. "Where did you get this?"

She watched curiously as John's face changed ever so slightly. She had come to associate that look with a lapse in his memory. A final flicker of emotion and he said, "Jedikiah had it stashed away in a box of things he salvaged from his former apartment."

"But what made you look for it?" Irene continued to probe as she rearranged the dry ingredients in the order shown on the card. "Hmm! Sugar. Salt. Baking Soda. Flour. Did you see it on a cooking show?"

John looked stymied for a moment before hesitantly saying, "No—o—o. I don't think so. It just appealed to me." His eyes lost focus as he searched his memory.

Irene divided her time between adding the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and egging him on. "Where? Picture the recipe. Was it on a card like this one? In a book?" She stopped for a moment looking self-consciously at the measuring spoon she held in her hand. A moment of doubt assailed her, and she shot a furtive look at John, but he was preoccupied.

John shook his head like a dog shaking off excess water. "Can't. Won't come to me." He looked at the mixing bowl where Irene had sifted in all the dry ingredients. "Hey, are you paying attention to what you're doing? Did you do it right?"

Irene slammed down the measuring cup on the counter, sending up a fine spray of flour. "Of course, I am. Really, do you think I don't understand the difference between measuring utensils. Metric is more precise, but I do know ounces and teaspoons and tablespoons."

She lifted her nose in the air. "You were right here watching me. It's not my fault that your brain is mush."

John crossed his arms. "No more questions. Just let me watch you."

He then proceeded to contradict his orders by asking her a question. "Are you enjoying your training?

Irene stopped what she was doing to shake the spatula at him, speckling his face with batter droplets. She looked disconcerted for a moment and then shrugged it off. "You mean with that blonde beast you're currently doing?"

John blinked, while he wiped his face with one hand. "Elle is a good trainer."

"Elle is a beast," Irene said firmly. "What are you doing with her?" She put her hands on her hips forgetting that she had not put the spatula back and now had batter on her t-shirt. "You have nothing in common with her. She's—she's—she's a common thug."

"She's one of our best agents."

"Then your best agents are thugs. And if you had to date an agent then why pick that one?"

John frowned. "What's wrong with her?" He looked down at the ground. "We have some things in common."

Irene openly scoffed. "Oh, is that the mattress and the floor and the training rooms after everyone has left?"

John's head tilted back and he eyed her suspiciously. "Have you been spying on us?"

"Oh—right. I guess spying can only be done by you. No. For your information I am not spying on you. The blonde mass of muscles and no personality doesn't hide her thoughts very well. She practically broadcasts to everyone that she's banging you."

"She does?" John looked taken aback.

Irene managed to look superior in the same way only a younger sibling could. "You are so dense. If any girl even looks sideways at you, she's in their face. And everyone's afraid of her."

"She is a good fighter."

Irene snorted. "She's a bully and you're blind. You don't talk about anything except work, and the only things you do together are spar and have sex, and sometimes it's difficult to tell which is which." Irene frowned and regarded John for a moment before saying in a completely different tone. "What are you interested in John? You do nothing but work."

"That's not true. I watch sports."

"With Jedikiah."

"I go to movies."

"With Jedikiah."

"Go to bars."

"With Jedikiah."

"Go to dinner."

"With Jedikiah.

"Madison Square Garden. Football games. Basketball games. Baseball."

"With Jedikiah."

John grinned. "Are you trying to make a point here?"

"Yeah, I am. You have no friends your own age. I'm not even convinced you picked the blonde beast. I think she picked you, and it was easiest to go along with her. Plus, you knew Jedikiah approved of her. You do everything with Jedikiah—work and play. There's no one else in your life."

John tilted his head, considering. "I have Charlie and Luca and I have you. You're kind of a pain, but you've become like family to me."

Irene smiled. "Thanks, John. I feel the same way, but you have no one outside our group."

"Well, I hate to point this out, but neither do you." John spoke quietly.

Irene's eyes widened. "Wow, you're right. Hmmm! We have to broaden our horizons. What about the other guys you work with? They like you."

John looked up to see her staring at him. "I don't have much time."

"Duh! Because Jedikiah makes sure you have no spare time. " She looked back at the batter she was mixing. "You need your own place, John."

He smiled. "You kicking me out?"

"I get the impression that you're close to finding Morgan. There's no more bedrooms. It's the perfect time to get your own place."

"Don't you like what you're doing?" John asked curiously, wondering if she was pushing him to move out because it was something she wanted to do.

Irene placed both hands firmly on the counter. She spoke earnestly. "I love what I'm doing." Her eyes glittered as they did when she was passionately interested in something. "I have unlimited access to any data I want. I get priority access to any lecture. My credentials get me in anywhere. I can correspond with the top minds in research." She wrinkled her nose. "It's beyond awesome. But!" She held up a finger to emphasize her point. "Even I need something beyond work. We both need to get out more."

"Let's do that later. Back to the cake." John pointed at the counter.

"Fine. Change the subject." Irene's tone was contentious, but she ruined it by smiling as she spoke.

He watched as Irene set the oven temperature to three hundred and fifty degrees. His looking over her shoulder made her roll her eyes. He watched as she carefully poured the batter into the Bundt pan, using a spatula to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl.

When the oven beeped he said, "Pop it in."

He gave her a gentle punch on the arm. "Good work."

Her only response was a somewhat cryptic smile.

The rooms soon filled with the smell of warm baking cake. Luca coming home from practice, stopped short. "Aw, that smells so good." A puzzled look came over his face. "Hey, is that—"

Irene cut him off. "It's my culinary masterpiece."

Luca hooted derisively. "Yeah, right. Oh well, not everything that smells good, tastes good."

"I supervised this. I'm telling you it's going to be awesome." John was quick to defend the cake.

Luca rolled his eyes. "I'll believe it when I taste it."

Jedikiah and Charlotte entered together, as John headed back to the kitchen to finish up dinner.

"Hurry up. I'm starving." Luca's words made Charlotte and Irene exchange superior glances.

"The kid has a tapeworm." Charlie's comment was met with a nod by Jedikiah.

"Kid'll eat me out of house and home, if I let him."

Irene said, "his appetite is actually consistent with his age and gender."

John called from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready as soon as you wash up."

"I'll just dump my books." Luca made for his room only to be stopped by Jedikiah.

"Wash your hands."

"Whatever." Luca really didn't see the point, but agreed to it because he was hungry.

Charlotte sniffed. "Boys are so gross."

The sound, announcing that the front desk was contacting them, surprised Jedikiah. "Head on to the dining room." When the others had left, he walked over to hit the monitor button. "Yes."

"Sir, you have a visitor. A 'Mr. Stephen Jameson' is requesting to see you."

Jedikiah frowned, shaking his head. "Tell him to come to my office tomorrow." He released the button and started to walk away, stopping when the buzzer sounded again.

He sighed deeply and reached back to thumb the control panel. "Problem?"

"I'm sorry, Sir, but he refuses to leave. Do you want me to call the police?"

The sound of a slight scuffle and then he heard Stephen's voice. "Let me up or I'll find a way."

Jedikiah reconsidered and finally curtly ordered, "Bring him up."

Jedikiah met Stephen and his escort at the door. Before Stephen had a chance to speak Jedikiah held up a warning finger. "I'll expect you at my office tomorrow. Tonight is a social visit only."

"Social visit?" Stephen's brow wrinkled with skepticism.

"Those are my terms. Accept it or I'll have him call the police." Jedikiah referred to the security guard standing next to Stephen, ready to act.

"They can't stop me." Stephen spoke with quiet confidence

Jedikiah nodded agreement. "You're right. But I know where your friends are."

The two eyed each other before Stephen finally gave a terse bob of his head, indicating agreement.

Jedikiah flicked his eyes over to the guard. "You can leave."

"Yes, Sir."

Jedikiah stepped back, ushering Stephen in. "Give me your jacket. You're in time for dinner."

Stephen followed Jedikiah into a good sized dining room. The table was laden with food. Astonished eyes greeted his appearance. John, sitting next to Irene, only darted a quick glance at Jedikiah. At Jedikiah's quiet nod of assurance he relaxed. Irene smiled widely. "Hey, Stephen."

Stephen smiled back at her. Charlie opposite John, seemed neutral, neither happy to see him, but not hostile either. Jedikiah indicated Stephen should sit at the end of the table between Charlie and John while he went to the opposite end.

Charlie got up. "I'll get him a dish and some silverware."

As she returned, Luca came bounding in, only to stop short at the sight of Stephen. "Whatta you doing here?"

"Fine way to greet the brother you haven't seen in months. How bout 'hi Stephen, good to see you'?" Stephen prompted his brother.

Luca grunted in return and then took his place between Charlie and Jedikiah.

"Pass Stephen the roast," Jedikiah said as he reached for a big bowl of mashed potatoes. That broke the ice and food started passing around. Stephen, looking at the well laden table and smelling the hot food, realized he was hungry. His stomach growled. John, overhearing, gave him a look. "I thought I was the only one whose stomach growled."

Charlotte giggled while Irene mock complained. "What is it with guys, anyways? John's stomach howls when he's hungry."

That earned her a light punch from John. "I can't help it. My stomach likes food."

Stephen and John exchanged a quick look of camaraderie before John, uncomfortable with the eye contact, broke it off, carefully looking elsewhere. Stephen felt rebuffed. There had been a time when they had overcome their differences and were able to maintain a solid friendship.

Luca ignored the banter, digging into the food. He ate with gusto and the slightly sloppy manners of a teen age boy. Charlie and he both reached for the gravy at the same time.

Luca complained when Charlie beat him to it. "Hey, I wanted that."

Charlie just stuck her tongue out at him while the others, apparently inured to their manners, paid no attention, beyond Jedikiah making an absentminded comment. "There's plenty of food."

Stephen, who hadn't had a home cooked meal in ages, said around a mouthful of roast beef, "This is really, really good."

"John cooked it." Luca spoke with a full mouth.

"I forgot what a good cook you were," Stephen said. Jedikiah's eyes rose from his plate to scrutinize John. He looked satisfied when John's only reaction appeared to be a slight widening of the eyes. When John asked no questions, he relaxed even further.

"Well, we have a treat tonight." John directed a sunny smile at Jedikiah. "Irene made dessert."

"No," Luca complained. "Why would you ruin a great dinner by letting the Great Disaster near the kitchen?"

Jedikiah reached over and lightly swatted the back of Luca's head in rebuke, which only had the effect of making him chuckle. Charlie clapped her hands together in delight. "The bet!"

Stephen's bewildered look prompted Irene to explain. "Jedikiah and John have a bet. John says he can teach me to cook, and Jedikiah is betting against him."

"Sucker bet. I'm backing Uncle Jed." Luca looked smug. He pointed at John. "You're going down, dude. Irene's hopeless."

Charlie kicked him under the table. "John can do it. No matter how hopeless Irene is." She immediately looked self-conscious and apologized to Irene. "Sorry. You're the smartest person I know, but you aren't the best in the kitchen."

"Not the best?" Luca challenged. "She's awful. She's the —"

"Enough. We'll judge it when it's time." Jedikiah changed the topic. "So Stephen, how's college going?"

Stephen looked up, surprised to be called on. "Well, I'm just starting this semester."

"You're going to college?" Luca, surprised, left his piled up fork suspended halfway to his mouth.

Stephen nodded.

"Mom would be happy." As soon as the words left Luca's mouth, he reddened and hastily shoved the food in.

Charlotte and Irene exchanged uneasy glances while Stephen looked gratified. "Yeah, I think she would have been."

"I know she would have," Jedikiah said. "Money is set aside for you too, Luca. And you both have trust funds for when you turn twenty five."

Both Jameson boys' heads snapped up at that. They looked at each other and then to their uncle, who was calmly eating.

"What's this?" Stephen was wary.

"Your father had a number of patents. I took care of the financials for both of us. It would have been divided evenly between your mother and you boys. I set everything up." Jedikiah took a drink of water.

Stephen put his fork and knife down. "Why didn't I know anything about this? Why wasn't there a will or something?"

Jedikiah looked up. "Because there was no will. You took care of your mother's will, but she didn't have anything of any real value. Everything of your father's was switched to my name when we knew he had to—ah—go into hiding."

Stephen leaned forward, forearms resting on the table. "You mean when you had him killed."

Jedikiah's eyebrows rose. "We planned it together."

"Why don't I believe you? Why would he put everything in your name?" Stephen picked up his fork, stabbed a piece of broccoli, and popped it in his mouth.

"Because he trusted me." Jedikiah's tone was bland as he wiped his mouth with his napkin.

Stephen sputtered, "Wha—what." His mouth was full and he started to choke.

"Ease up, bro. What difference does it make as long as Uncle Jed gives us what we deserve?" Luca didn't understand why his brother was so upset. "Don't talk with your mouth full." Luca ignored the glare his brother sent his way. He reached in front of Charlotte to snag more roast beef, practically clipping her nose.

She smacked his hand. "Ask me to pass it."

"Why, when I can get it myself?" Luca smirked at her.

"Tell the beast to mind his manners." Charlotte turned to Jedikiah for support.

"Try not to behave like the beast you're eating." Jedikiah's reproof had no demonstrable effect on Luca other than to earn him a grin.

Stephen was bewildered. It sounded like normal family bantering and he couldn't reconcile this domestic scene with the man who was responsible for his father's death and bringing misery to so many people. Unbidden, the memory of the reunion dinner with his father, mother, Luca, Astrid, and Hilary popped into his mind. This meal had that type of family warmth, of normality that he realized he had been robbed of. So often, especially in the last years, when his mother worked as many doubles as she could to pay for his medication, they had barely seen each other, grabbing meals together as they could. Again a sense of unfairness swept over him. Why was Jedikiah rewarded like this when he had nothing?

Irene missed her mouth and got a plop of mashed potatoes down her blouse. She frowned and wiped it off. Stephen caught the amused glance that passed between John and Jedikiah. Charlotte hid a grin behind a hand while Luca openly scoffed. "Her gracefulness has struck again."

Irene calmly flicked a hand and a dollop of mashed potatoes flew to hit and stick to Luca's cheek. He used a finger to swipe it into his mouth. "Got anymore?" he cheerfully asked.

"You're hopeless." Irene turned her attention back to her food.

"Pass the bread, please." John spoke in a calm tone. "And while we're on the subject of school, I got a text that you were absent today." He raised an eyebrow at Charlie.

"Busted." Luca said under his breath.

Charlie shot him a look that should have peeled his skin, but he just wiggled his eyebrows at her. She took a moment to compose herself, before calmly explaining. "I had a training session I didn't want to miss."

John fixed his stare on Jedikiah. "I don't want her missing school to train."

Jedikiah held both hands up, palms out. "Innocent here. I did not ask her to skip school."

Stephen's snort when his uncle declared his innocence was politely ignored by everyone.

"Do it again, Charlie, and you won't be training anymore." John was firm.

"You can't do that." She turned to Jedikiah. "Tell him he can't do that."

Jedikiah shrugged. "Sorry, Charlie. The agreement was you go to school." Jedikiah's look was sympathetic, but she could tell he wasn't going to support her on this.

She turned a glare on John. "I hate school. I have nothing in common with those dumb girls. I'd rather take lessons at home. Irene could teach me."

"No problem." Irene volunteered.

"Absolutely not." John was adamant, as he looked from Irene to Jedikiah. "I want her to be with kids her age. I don't want her entire life to revolve around Elite. I want her life as normal as possible."

Stephen was impressed. He knew John cared for Charlotte, but the fact that he insisted her life not mimic his, gave him a new respect for the man.

Jedikiah looked around the table. Everyone was finished eating. "Whose turn to clear the dishes?"

"Stephen's." Luca was quick to reply, pure evil on his face.

"It's yours." John outed Luca. "Remember you lost that bet with me."

"I'll help you," Stephen volunteered. "Not like I haven't done this before."

They both jumped up and stacked the dishes. Luca led him out to the kitchen. Irene followed to dish out the dessert. The cake slid out of the Bundt pan without a hitch and she did a decent job of carving slices. The boys helped her carry out the plates and hand them around.

"This smells like—"Jedikiah sniffed deeply.

"Poppy seed honey cake." Stephen finished the sentence for him.

"Wow. Mom used to make this. She told me the recipe came from Grandma Jameson, well I guess Price, actually." Luca looked pleased. "What made you decide to bake this?"

He looked to Irene, who pointed to John. "He suggested it."

"Oh, you remember from our house? You made it there." Luca frowned. "Did you copy the recipe?"

"That's right," Stephen added. "Mom said you made it better than she did."

Both Stephen and Jedikiah watched John; Stephen was curious, but Jedikiah looked alarmed. Puzzlement was clear on John's face. "No—I just thumbed through some old recipes Jed had."

Jedikiah watched him carefully. "Do you remember this recipe from before?"

John looked up and shook his head. "No."

Stephen watched a pleased, one could almost call it triumphant, expression spread over Jedikiah's face. It angered him both for John's sake, and that once again his uncle was getting his way.

"Well, enough talk." Luca placed a huge forkful in his mouth and chewed. His expression went from anticipation to dismay. He opened his mouth and let the cake fall out, ignoring Charlotte's 'eew' of disgust. "That's awful. What's wrong with it?"

John, alarmed now, took a bite. He spit his into his napkin. "It's salty. What? How?"

Seeing the others' reactions, Jedikiah pushed his plate away.

Irene took a small nibble and her mouth puckered. "That's horrible." She sat for a moment, thinking. "Ah. I bet I know." She turned to John. "When we were talking I lost concentration. I bet I put in a tablespoon of baking soda instead of a teaspoon."

John threw his napkin down on the table. "You did that on purpose."

Jedikiah sat back, laughing. "Doesn't matter. You lost the bet." He waggled a finger at John. "Remember, I get to decide how you pay up."

Irene tried to look innocent. "Honest mistake, John."

"It's not. You did that to get back at me cause you think I spied on you."

Luca quickly spoke up. "Doesn't matter. You were watching her. You let it happen. You lost. Man up!"

"Irene, you didn't." Charlie looked shocked.

Irene shrugged. "He made the bet. He was supposed to be watching." She stood up and walked behind John. She patted him consolingly on the shoulder. "Better luck next time." She looked to Luca. "Didn't he bet you three months' worth of your kitchen duty?"

Luca leaned back, hands crossed behind his head. "Yeah, he did." He stood up and pushed back his chair. "Got homework. Take care of things for me, John." He left laughing.

Luca's open gloating made Stephen laugh. It was so typical of his kid brother.

"Stephen." Jedikiah stood. "Let me show you out."

Stephen wanted to object, but Jedikiah was already walking around the table towards him. He gave John a gentle slap on the head as he passed him. "Will you never learn not to bet against me?"

John just shook his head and got up to head towards the kitchen.

Charlie followed. "I'll help."

Jedikiah put a hand on Stephen's back pushing him towards the door.

Stephen opened his mouth, but Jedikiah cut him off. "Tomorrow. Elite headquarters at eleven am."

It wasn't until Stephen was out the door that he remembered his first class was at eleven. He shrugged. This was more important.