CHAPTER FIVE

March 15, 2001

The school was located in a heavy wooded section in Connecticut, away from the usual residential areas. Rachel found out that someone had bought this land using cash rather than going to the bank and securing a loan. Of course, this was the only school in the East, where they taught children like Frederick and Margaret.

"A lot of our students are in politics, the military, or the scientific field," the interviewer had said. "Oh the first Monday of every month is parent's day. Since you are their guardian, you qualify. Next Monday, we are having a special science day."

She could not attend. She was working on this case. She hoped they understood.

Even though no guard stopped and asked her for her identification, Rachel knew someone was watching her as she drove up the long driveway.

The school looked like any other school with the children playing in the yards. They looked like any other children except their uniforms were spotless. They all wore navy skirts or slacks, white blouses or shirts and since it was March, blazers. She wondered why children could rough it out and yet not get their uniforms dirty.

Rachel gathered they had a change of clothes. She had no idea whether it was a regular private school or a Roman Catholic one.

She had just parked her car and walked up to the main door when a man came out. "Good afternoon Miss Burke. We were expecting you." He seemed so assured and so confident, too confident.

"I've come to see Frederick and Margaret."

"Yes the recent tyros."

That too was strange. "Yes, you mean students." The principal invited her in the school where several students were engaged in activities normally reserved for university students. Rachel was amazed at the equipment, more advanced than even that of the VCTF.

The principal, whose name was Charles Lewison, said that Frederick and Margaret showed promise. Of course, they had been in the company of inferiors, but that would soon change.

"However, there are those like you who are above average for their spe-I mean background."

"Because I profile certain cases."

Charles shook his head. "No. You are level headed and do not panic nor let your emotions rule you, as you say." He told a woman to call Frederick and his sister to the office and continued. "I hope I am not too forward to suggest that Frederick and Margaret go with you for a while. Most of the children here came from normal backgrounds, but they do not."

Suspecting that the principal was a Dominant, she asked, "Are all the children raised by their true parents?"

He did not blink an eye or show an offended raise of the eyebrows. "Most and those who are foster children or adopted. We do not punish their caregivers, if that's what you mean."

Rachel did not believe him. The parents who raised these strange children were probably dead. The only reason she was still alive was that the interviewer approved of her answers. He had even given her a book and several CDs about raising Dominants.

"Remember to observe and take notes," the principal told the children, "and if you help in the police investigation, keep a low profile. I will expect them back in a month. You have a computer?"

"A lap top."

"Good," he said handing her a card. "This is their access codes. Have them send in their work and," He gave her a book. "This is about our family structure. It is somewhat like yours. Oh before you go, I would like to talk to you alone."

"Certainly. Wait in the car, children."

"Yes Miss Burke."

The principal turned to Rachel after they left "Among us, we have certain children the products of a Dominant and human relationship. Now, we also have the DNA of your triplets, courtesy of our leader, the Chosen."

"Leader?"

"Yes. He had a run in with a certain Kevin. You are normal, of course, but you did have sexual relationships with a dominant."

Rachel gasped and soon recovered. Did that mean that her suspicions about Jarod confirmed? . "Yes a certain man. He promised to tell me about himself, but he didn't act like you." She felt compelled to tell the principal of her conversation with Attwood.

"He should know," he said, "and he did help rescue the Chosen from the hands of that woman. There is a group that is supposed to get us together, but it is due to fail."

"Why? I would suspect that you—"

The principal smiled. "Not when it involves digging up skeletons from your past. Most of us have no history of persecution, because we keep ourselves secret. If we do decide to cooperate it must be in strength from both ends, don't you agree?"

"Yes," she said.

He shook her hand and said, "If you have trouble with the triplets, give me a ring. Oh you won't know it yourself, but an observer will. Read page 212, paragraph 3."

Rachel drove back through the woods, witnessing several shadows following her. When the shadows ceased, she knew she was safe.