Paige sat in the living room talking with Nick while Ralph and Simone had gone to the bedroom upstairs and Rusty sat with Florence in the downstairs bedroom talking and going over everything expected of protectees and protectors. Allie and Cabe occupied themselves with fixing dinner for all of them.

Ralph got along well with Simone; while not a genius on his level she had a quick mind and a genuine interest in his well being and a quick wit that instilled confidence and security in him dispelling any concerns over Collins.

Paige found out that Nick was just a year younger than Cabe, no where near as young as Cabe liked to tease but she enjoyed their conversation especially learning more about Cabe as a younger man in the Marines.

Florence was a little leery about Rusty, she could tell he almost had a sixth sense about situations and he kept probing her about the whole situation that has been going on around the Garage. She was definitely worried that he might figure out she had something to do with it. Ted she knew was blinded a little by his attraction with her so while she wasn't comfortable keeping it a secret from him she didn't worry that he might figure out her role in it like she felt Rusty would if she stayed around him too long.

Ralph was lying on the couch almost on the verge of sleep when he realized he hadn't email Walter in two days and he sat up and pulled his laptop over and opened his email and found he had received an email the day before from Walter. He was upset with himself for having forgotten and he opened the email.

"Good evening Ralph,

I trust your Saturday has been a good day. Mine was okay; I got three interviews to go on this week and next for possible programming jobs. I must be crazy to complicate all the work I have to do with more work but I need something to distract me I guess.

I just wanted to touch base with you since I hadn't heard from you, don't worry about Collins, we're getting closer to catching him.

I love you and your Mom so much.

Honored to be your Dad,

Walter"

"Good evening Dad,

I am so sorry, I didn't write yesterday. Grandpa and Allie have been so entertaining I kind of lost track of time and completely forgot. Please don't be disappointed in me for that.

We had a really good Saturday, we played games all afternoon and evening, no one wanted to play against me in Scrabble so we play games that relied on pseudo random chance and decisions to win. Sorry was both fun and frustrating.

I talked with Mom today and she wants me to think on it some more this week and if I still don't want to next weekend I won't have to keep trying with Drew anymore. I told her I was tired of always being the one to reach out to him and having my visitation with him changed all the time because something always comes up.

Grandpa and I really wish you would go ahead and come stay with us here for safety if nothing else. Mom swears its okay with her if you do. Some of Grandpa's old Marine friends who are in Homeland now are going to be watching after Mom and me during the week so I can still go to school.

Your son,

Ralph"

Ralph had originally included so his Mom could go to work at Centipede Partners but just before he clicked send he edited it out. He really wanted to tell Walter about it but he didn't want to go against what his Mom had told him about not discussing anything about Centipede Partners with Walter.

Walter had spent most of the day just watching his algorithm slowly work; he'd almost fell asleep from the sheer boredom. So he took up walking around the Garage checking out every little nook and cranny. He found several hats that Toby had hidden throughout the Garage and he gathered them all and threw them into the trash. He'd spent some time in his bedroom looking at Ralph's drawing and the portrait of them together he had enlarged before walking back down stairs. He didn't believe in fate or karma but sometimes he wondered if it wasn't his fate to live out his life alone as some kind of karma effect for writing the software that was used and killed all those innocent lives because he had put more effort into speeding up delivery instead of ensuring accuracy. Hadn't he redeemed himself for all those deaths? Hadn't he helped to save many hundreds of times those numbers? His laptop registered a new email but not wanting to slow down the algorithm he pulled out the tablet that had been Paige's and logged into the email server and read Ralph's email.

Walter smiled as he replied to his email.

"Dear Ralph,

I won't ever be disappointed in you I promise. It's okay that you had a good time yesterday and didn't think to email me.

I'm so grateful that Cabe has gotten some people to help watch over you so you can still attend school. Collins isn't really that brave to actually try something in front of that many people but when it comes to you and your Mom it's better to be over cautious in my opinion.

I'll be okay here; maybe one day your Mom won't be as mad at me and will want me to come around, when that day comes she only has to tell me so. Until then I am so grateful to be able to continue talking to you here.

I'm so sorry that Drew has been hurting you that way. I wish I could take that pain away from you. Whatever you chose to do I support you.

Your Dad forever,

Walter"

Monday morning was a little hectic getting five adults and a teenager up and ready for their day but somehow they managed to sit down for breakfast just before Rusty, Simone and Nick arrived to begin their first day under protection. Cabe took Allie to work while Ted went straight to Homeland to brief Katharine, the others hung out for a short while before they had to leave.

Walter's eyes were showing signs that he wasn't sleeping again when Florence and Rusty entered the Garage. Florence introduced them and Rusty sat down to explain the procedures to Walter. After he had answered all of Walter's questions Rusty excused himself so he could examine the Garage and the area outside the building.

Simone and Ralph stopped in the principle's office as she had requested and they had a short conversation concerning risks and potential issues.

When they arrived at Centipede Partner's office Nick left Paige locked in his SUV while he examined the outer area and then moved into the building and made sure there was nothing and no one to endanger Paige. He returned to the SUV and unlocked and opened her door and escorted her inside. Paige found all the office furniture had been delivered and set up. The phones were hooked up and working, she turned on her computer and then walked around checking the other areas. Everything was as they had discussed and she returned to her office.

After examining the outside of the Garage Rusty made his way to the roof. He walked around the entire roof looking out over everything. Finally satisfied Rusty returned to the first level of the Garage and Walter offered him a cup of coffee. Walter told Rusty and Florence there was an interview for a job bid later that afternoon they'd have to leave for by 1 PM to make it there. Since there wasn't anything before that Florence asked if it was okay if she went to work in her lab for a while. Walter nodded, "Rusty you can go with Florence to keep her safe."

"No Walter, you're more at risk than I am. Rusty should stay here with you." Florence told him.

Walter shook his head, "You forget, he wants me to suffer, that makes it more likely he will try something against you than me. Rusty, go with her."

Rusty laughed, "Will do."

Happy pulled her truck into a parking spot next to the SUV in front of their office and the three team members exited the pick up and looked up to the office and saw lights were on and they figured Cabe was there with Paige. They were a little shocked when Paige introduced them to Nick. Sylvester told Paige they had an appointment for their first job bid at 1 PM so they'd have to leave around noon to be there on time.

Toby and Paige almost immediately got into a disagreement when she told them she wanted to tell Walter the truth about them forming Centipede Partners and Toby kept telling her she couldn't and finally he got tired of the disagreement and he got up in Paige's face and whispered "Beetlejuice, you will not tell Walter about us." Nick reacted instantly and grabbed Toby's arm twisting it behind his back and put him up hard against the wall.

Paige blinked and jumped back.

"I already explained procedure to you guys, now you do not get within ten feet of Paige. This is your one reminder. Next time you can either get dental work or visit the ER. Understand?" Nick told him.

Toby nodded quickly.

"What the hell Waitress, call your attack dog off my husband," Happy yelled.

"Then keep your husband on a leash," Nick told her releasing him on the opposite side of him from Paige.

Cabe walked into the Garage a little after noon, "Hey Walter, where's Rusty?"

Walter looked up and smiled and pointed towards the back wall, "He's watching over Florence. I didn't have anything for her to do so she went to work on something. I do have a bid interview I'll need to leave by 1 PM if you don't mind taking me?"

Cabe nodded "Sounds good, let me go check in with Rusty and I'll be back over."

Cabe knocked on Florence's door and Rusty opened the door and smiled seeing Cabe, "Hey Cabe, come on in. I've been getting an education over here."

Cabe laughed as he stepped in and Rusty shut and locked the door. "Hey Florence," Cabe greeted her.

"Hey Cabe," Florence replied without looking up as she carefully mixed some chemicals. "You think Walter would be okay if I didn't go to that job bid today?"

Cabe nodded, "I don't see why not, I'll ask when I go back over in a minute I just wanted to check in on you guys." He looked at Rusty, "How's everything looking to you?"

Rusty smiled, "Everything seems fairly normal, I was a little suspicious of the homeless guy but Florence told me he was a regular named Freddie."

Cabe nodded, "Freddie's a pretty good guy, the kids try and help him out as much as he'll let them. If you want to stay here with Florence I'll take Walter to that job bid."

"Sounds good to me, I just wish I had brought a book to read with me." Rusty told him.

Cabe laughed, "I think I got a couple of Zane Grey books next door if you'd like."

"Naw, I never got into that western stuff like you did. Thanks though." Rusty said.

Florence looked over as Cabe was about to leave, "Hey Cabe, did you notice Walter's eyes? I thought you should know I don't think he is sleeping again."

Cabe's smile turned into a scowl as he quickly left.

He moved quickly into the Garage and walked right over and bent over Walter's desk putting his hands on the edge and stared at Walter's face.

Walter looked at him puzzled, "What?"

"Are you wearing some kind of concealer around your eyes?" Cabe demanded.

Walter sighed, "I doubt the interviewer would be interested in hiring me if they saw dark circles around my eyes."

Cabe shook his head, "When we get back you are taking some of those pills and going to sleep."

Paige sat in the outer office waiting for them to call the team in for the interview. Her stomach was flip flopping, she hadn't been this nervous in a long time. "Ms Dineen are you okay? Anything I can do for you?" Nick asked.

Paige smiled weakly and shook her head no.

The secretary got up and walked over and opened the door and called Centipede Partners.

Paige took a deep breath and got up and walked into the office with the others.

Walter and Cabe walked into the lobby and over to the elevators and pressed up and stood waiting.

Paige all but ran from the office, she'd fought with her nerves the entire time in the presentation and when it was over she had to get out as fast as she could. Nick was quick to follow as she flew past the elevators and turned down the hallway and into the women's bathroom. Toby and Sylvester followed and entered the men's while Happy at Nick's request went in to check on Paige.

The elevator door opened and Cabe and Walter stepped off and turned and walked down and into the president's outer office.

Happy was grimacing as she listened to Paige as she got sick over and over. "You okay in there Waitress?"

"Yes, give me a minute." Paige told her before getting sick again.

Happy decided she couldn't take it anymore and exited back into the hallway. She looked at Nick, "She's alone in there."

Nick just nodded when Toby and Sylvester joined them in the hallway. It was probably another five minutes before Paige emerged from the restroom. Nick looked at her concerned, "You sure you are okay Ms Dineen?"

Paige smiled, "Just nerves, thanks. And you are welcome to call me Paige."

Nick smiled and shook his head, "It would be inappropriate for me to address a protectee by their first name."

They all walked to the elevator and left to go back to their office.

Walter sat watching the president going over his list of references and all the jobs he had taken care of over the years, "As you can see Ms Walker, Scorpion 2.0 is highly skilled and we are much more streamline and efficient version of ourselves and I can assure you that we'll be quick and professional, you won't have any regrets hiring us, Ms Walker."

Walter watched as she nodded her head, "I'll tell you Mr. O'Brien I am quite impressed with your record, everyone speaks very highly of you. Though most of them do say they really recommend that you have a Ms Dineen helping you as you have some impulse control issues that can cause problems with others. Is this true? Will she be with you if we award you this contract?"

Walter sighed, "I have to be truthful with you Ms Walker the old me use to butt heads with people who have normal EQs but thanks to a lot of hard work on Ms Dineen's part I have grown a lot and I am able to relate better to people like that. While she is no longer with Scorpion 2.0 I can assure you I can do this job efficiently and very accurately and you won't regret your choice."

Ms Walker nodded her head, "Okay Mr. O'Brien I can't promise you anything right now as I still have a few more interviews but I do promise to give you a fair shake at the job, okay?"

Walter smiled as he stood up, "I can't ask for anything more than that, thank you for your time Ms. Walker."

She smiled and extended her hand and Walter shook it before leaving the office.

As Cabe started the SUV, "Walter, I got to give you credit for that, you really did a great job back there. I'm really proud of you. The old you would have flown off the handle."

Walter gave him a half smile, "Thanks Cabe."