Cristalina: Ha, you know you can ask me silly questions cus I have loads of info on Perfect Dark. For Junior yeah, that'd be weird...but I think the fact you are suddenly stronger and you are looking people in the eye without looking up would be more noticeable. Joanna's hair, well... I dunno actually... it is supposed to be brown in the game, but yup in those pictures she's definitely a red head. So sorry to disappoint you... I'm glad you liked the Institute stress release session. My personal favourite was Carrington and the dart board.

Spiderbear: Yeah much laughter... and no Sean's dream was already reflected in the same chapter, so no evil Carrington.

On with the story? Yes? Okies...

Joanna, Velvet and Jonathan exchanged looks at what Carrington had just told them.

"Juan, Melvin, Junior, could you please leave for a moment, not that I can't trust you but you know..." Carrington smiled which basically meant he didn't want to tell them "Feel free to explore the Institute"

The three nodded and walked out.

"Are you certain? We've looked for new races for thousands of years" Elvis said

"Then how do you explain this" Carrington opened his safe.

He got something from it and threw 4 pieces of paper onto the desk, Elvis picked up one.

"But Mr. Carrington, this is a Maian" Elvis chuckled

"Of course it is... look at all the pictures... one is the outline of a Maian, the second is the outline of a human, the third is the outline of a Skedar but this fourth one what do you think?" He passed the paper in question to Elvis

Jonathan looked at it over Elvis' shoulder. The best way to describe it was a wolf's head but a lion's body. However it was only the shape as the photo was blackened out to highlight the body.

"Where did you find this?" Elvis asked

"An agent of mine, he used some tracking device to find it after I detected something that wasn't from this land, much like the message I got when the Skedar landed but then not move where it landed. However after finding it and sending the picture to me he didn't send another report, I can only assume he is dead because after I sent another agent to look for him, she found nothing, nothing at all" Carrington said

"Is this creature in the picture alive or dead?" Elvis asked

"I'm not sure, I think it was alive, there was something in his voice over the radio though, something was distracting him and I'm certain it wasn't the Alaskan cold" Carrington said

"Wait, we first made contact near there right?" Elvis asked

"Yes why?" Carrington said

"We agreed on that location because it is the easiest place to land undetected... my landing would have been a quiet success if the Skedar didn't intercept the message" Elvis said

"So you are suggesting that this yet unnamed creature had a planned landing?" Carrington asked

"Yes" Elvis replied

"Thing is though, I didn't detect any more after my agent went missing... but there could be more, the Skedar learned how to evade the signal system I had" Carrington thought out

"Let me guess, it was at night too... the two combined would make it almost impossible to see anything" Jonathan pointed out

"Yes, hence the bad quality of the photo, the inside of the creature doesn't even show despite the scan, I was lucky to get it this good" Carrington said
"What should we do?" Joanna asked

"What can we do, we searched the area and found nothing, we no longer detect any reading of a non human, non Maian on the planet. I didn't want to alarm you before... but I think it's time I lose the old habit of keeping secrets... generally there are some things you are better not knowing but this information I guess we could class it as need to know, if something like this happens again we'll know what to look for" Carrington said

"I will report at once to let the Maians know of this" Elvis said

"Good... as for the rest of you don't be surprised if I call you up for a sudden assignment..." Carrington stood up from his chair and everybody else followed.

"And that's different to normal because..." Joanna said. Velvet smiled slightly but tried to not to laugh.

Carrington ignored it "With Sean starting up soon and we still need to remove the remaining parts of the smaller parts of the old dataDyne we need to make sure that there aren't any other things around that are willing to be harmful to us. Another dataDyne plus alien alliance isn't going to be good" Carrington said in a serious tone "You are dismissed" Carrington went back to his desk.

"Man, that was different, I couldn't have imagined my friend was so involved with aliens" Juan said

"Yeah... I officially no longer understand anything that's going on..." Junior said

"Best think to do is not to think about it or try work it out... I learned to let things happen rather then worry about something that's going to happen anyway" Mel looked around the Institute

"I'm going to see their lab department, and see all the cool stuff they build" Juan walked off

Junior and Mel stopped at the elevator.

"Say Trent is being held here for questioning isn't he" Mel said a grin forming on his face

"But he's under guard, so why that smile?" Junior asked

"Oh I forgot he's your father..." Mel sighed

"A fact I hate to be reminded of" Junior said as they got on the elevator

"Well never mind then, I'm going to look in the firing range" Mel said

"Alright... I think I'll eat something; I seem to want to eat more... I wonder how much I weigh now..." Junior thought out...

"What? That's a pretty strange thing to say..." Mel seemed a little freaked out

"Oh, I just can't get used to it... but it does feel cooler... most of the time... being older..." Junior said

"What are you talking about, being older sucks... more responsibility, having more expected out you and you can't fool around anymore, well not as much... and what do you mean you can't get used to it... you must be 17 at least..." Mel said

"Well, actually I'm really only 8... Trent did some kind of thing to me to make me gain 10 years when he captured me a few days back... so... that's why I could say things that sound really weird" Junior laughed slightly

"There is no end to his madness and the things he will do, even to his own son" Mel said

"Well, like you said, I try not to think about it too much..." Junior replied and walked off.

Mel stood outside the elevator... since the Institute probably wasn't going to give him justice, he decided he would deliver some justice himself.

He looked at one of the Institute maps on the wall... he figured Trent would be held in a cell somewhere... scanning the map he found the cells on the lower levels but there were only 3, they were near the hangar.

Mel went down to the hangar and somebody was cleaning the floors there.

"What'd you want..." the man grumbled

"Nothing... just looking around..." Mel replied

"Well don't touch anything, I just cleaned up" He said in a real low tone

"You really like your job don't you..." Mel rolled his eyes

"Oh yeah, it is soo much fun... just get lost I'm busy" He grumbled again

Mel wondered what was with him, but he guessed cleaning and maintaining the hangar would be an annoying and long job. He continued down the pathways... and headed for the area clearly marked prison. There was some instinct that told him it was new, it was too clean perhaps. He saw a guard sitting in front of the one of the cells.

"That's the one that holds Trent I bet" Mel thought to himself

He continued to walk up but the guard stood up.

"Who are you... nobody except authorised Institute personal is allowed down here" the guard said

Mel continued to walk

"Halt! Or I'll call security" He ordered

"At ease, I've been told by Mr. Carrington to give you this" Mel said with something in his hand

"Oh... what is it?" The guard opened his hand as if to accept what Mel was holding

"This!" Mel grabbed the guard's hand hard causing him to shout out before kicking him in the head then it the stomach before elbowing him in the face again then another blow to the stomach causing the guard to hold it in pain and Mel knocked the guard on the head with an overhead kick to knock him out.

"Yeah... at ease... loser" Mel laughed

Trent looked at Mel outside, and Mel looked at Trent in return pacing backwards and forwards... he then scanned the walls...

"What are you doing here?" Trent said in a much less cocky tone that Mel was used to hearing. It made him smile further, but he didn't answer Trent.

"Shit!" Mel shouted out when he realised that the guard had only feinted being knocked out and ran towards the alarm however before he got there somebody else came in and gave the guard another hit. This time he fell to the ground and was clearly knocked out.

"Lucky for you I stopped by" Junior replied

"Hey can you find the keys, for the cell, I can't find them in here" Mel asked

Junior nodded as he took the keys off a belt the guard was wearing.

"All too easy" Junior smiled, Mel looked slightly embarrassed at the ease Junior found the keys

"Why'd you come though... you didn't seem interested before" Mel asked trying to change the subject

"You'll see..." Junior walked up to the cell door holding Trent putting the keys in the lock turning it and it opened.

The door opened and Junior walked in and Mel followed. Trent went very pale as he saw the two people who in their minds hated him above anything else.

"I guess you want to go first" Junior asked in an annoyed tone hatred growing in his eyes... overwhelming his calm nature.

Mel thought, he looked into saw Junior's eyes; he didn't have any idea of his reasons for hating Trent aside using him as a human guinea pig but if he knew Trent as well as he thought he did, there was surely much more then that between them.

"I think you'd better" Mel said.

Junior looked at Mel surprised, the darkness leaving his eyes. "Are you sure?" Junior asked

"Yeah..." Mel sighed...

Junior then turned his attention to Trent; Mel simply sat on the one of the walls looking amused as Junior went to strangle his much weaker father, still weak from the drug.

"How could you... why did you... you destroyed everything... even when help arrived you went ahead and destroyed that too!" Junior shouted at Trent. Trent couldn't say anything even if he wanted to.

He tried to get out a few words but it came out as only a few desperate sounds to breathe.

"What?" Junior released his grip a bit...

"You... know..." Trent said slowly

"Know what! Speak up!" Junior ordered

"Your mother... she's still alive..." Trent breathed out...

Junior stopped strangling Trent

"That can't be true, I saw her die!" Junior replied "All because you were jealous of Andy... why do that for... he had nothing to do with you... he only cared about Mum and me... yet you couldn't handle that she could have wanted another man COULD you" Junior said accusingly

"Maybe if you had waited a little longer, help came that very day" Trent said

"Lies... Andy didn't know she was dead when Sean and I told him, he knew nothing about what had happened" Junior replied. He wanted to hurt Trent, but something inside was stopping him.

"Who said the help was from Elcallaran" Trent replied, some of the cockiness that was considered normal to his voice began to return

"What are you talking about!?" Junior said... Mel began to look concerned, he didn't know what was going on but he knew Trent was trying to talk his way out of the punishment.

"There were plenty of people concerned about your mother, but I couldn't exactly use my power now to force them to back off as I was no longer head of the NSA. Instead I just gave some of the underground gangs and stuff more power by giving them weapons in exchange for trashing the town making it unliveable, scaring away any help she may have got. However that day, the day you came to my office, the Carrington institute agents cleaned them out, so as soon as that happened and word got out help arrived on your door step. But you couldn't stay there; because you were too driven by revenge... you had some stupid plan in mind to get me back... how!? An 8 year old child infiltrates a top security building and kills somebody that not even the US Government could touch? Yeah right..." Trent laughed mockingly "Then again you are my son, so I should expect nothing less out of you" Trent said
Junior snapped and went to attack Trent again, but Trent raised his arm as if to stop Junior.

"Don't you want to hear more? There goes the Easton nature again, further amplified by what I have put into you action first, thinking later" Trent said

Junior stopped again.

"Dude, he's playing with you like a yo-yo ... don't listen to him" Mel said annoyed

"I think you'll want to hear this... however you've got to make your own choice" Trent said losing the confidence in his voice but only to make it seem that Junior was the one in control.

However Junior tried not to let Trent into his mind, as he went to put as much pain into him as possible.

"Hmm... strange how I haven't received the report on Easton's condition yet" Carrington said as he checked the cameras to see if anything was wrong. What he saw shocked him.

"Oh my...!" Carrington said in shock before pressing a button on his computer.

"Yes?" Jonathan answered
"Joanna here" Joanna picked up, both picking up from two different locations

"Go down the cells as quick as you can!" Carrington ordered

"What did Trent escape?" Joanna sounded alarmed

"No... Junior and Melvin are down there giving him their own version of an interrogation" Carrington replied

"Okay I'm on it" Jonathan said

"If Easton dies, the President is not going to be happy" Carrington replied

"Yes sir" Joanna said as she and Jonathan went down to the hangar.

"Please just listen!" Trent begged as Junior stomped on his stomach and then kicked him

Junior didn't reply... he let Trent recover a little.

"I'm sure it won't be hard to find her... just ooooowwwah" Trent screamed in pain as Junior landed another blow. Junior breathed in and out.

Then alarms sounded...

"Looks like they are on to you guys... you better hear me out, you may not get another chance" Trent said

Junior looked towards Mel for support... he barely knew him, but if he weren't there he possibly could have believed anything Trent had told him that gave him hope. However Mel only shrugged giving him a 'believe what you want to believe look'. Mel already thought he had stepped too far into the matter, he didn't really know if Trent was telling the truth or not but knowing Trent probably not.

"Your mother was given help, by some old friends of hers when I was married to her, after gossip passed through their group as it often did they came and saw her that same day, the door was open because you left it that way, on seeing her they knew that they were too late, until she made a sound, well at least that's what I was told. They called for assistance and she was taken to hospital and then given the vital treatment she needed. Quite costly but easily affordable for those rich girls..." Trent finished that sentence

Junior remained silent

"That's a great story... but how do you know all this?" Mel asked, he decided to step in looking at Junior... who seemed to be very confused...

"Also, how come they didn't look for me, and I don't remember such a group of friends, the only person I really knew aside Mum was Andy" Junior said

"Firstly a spy I had on her... of course he's dead now... I recalled him the day after that report so he could guard you, Trent Easton Junior, from any intruders..." Trent said.

"However he died last night when the Institute raided the building. Secondly as I said, this was a social group just before your mother married me and a short time after so you didn't really exist yet. I blocked their contact and any contact from her which included Elcallaran, all because she threatened to go blabbing about certain things she wasn't supposed to hear" Trent said "I couldn't just kill or capture her, that would raise too much suspicion so I had to force her to make it seem she had to hide from me to protect you" Trent told him

Junior was angered at Trent; however could there be truth in his story? Why would he make up a story when he knew that somebody was coming to stop them? It could be true at least some of it. His logical mind of course told him that he checked his mother and he was certain that she was gone... but there was this ever annoying 'what if' in his mind... it was hope... the only thing he could hold onto.

"Why are you telling me this?" Junior asked after a long silence

"Alright that's enough guys..." Jonathan said standing outside the cell turning off the alarm

Junior turned around and so did Mel. Both were frustrated, Junior didn't get the entire answer out of his father and Mel never got his revenge they walked outside the cell. Trent looked slightly relieved

"Don't get too relaxed Easton, you still have us to deal with..." Joanna gave Trent a glare

Joanna relocked the door and they walked a good distance away.

"We told you not to hurt Trent, and you deliberately ignored that, you're both lucky you didn't get shot or something by the guard!" Joanna shouted out

"Joanna... hold up..." Jonathan said

"Don't tell me to hold up!" Joanna replied

"Think of it from their perspective... I bet you would have done the same... especially with your shoot first, think later mentality" Jonathan said calmly

Joanna sighed "I suppose... but it doesn't give them the right to do what they want. Sure I would have loved to have shot Easton to pieces but I know I can't so I learn to control myself..." Joanna said

"And you really showed your ability to control yourself that was really effective in Area 51; I'm sure every guard knew exactly where you were" Jonathan said there was a bit of coldness in his voice. Joanna was slightly surprised by it

"Whose side are you on here?" Joanna asked trying not to show her surprise

"You are missing the point here, can I speak to you about this later... for now let's just go back to the cafeteria" Jonathan said

"You aren't taking them up to Carrington?" Joanna asked

Jonathan ignored her as he took them back up to the cafeteria

He walked into the cafeteria and Sean was still sitting there as he had been for most of the time he was at the Institute, staring out the window, staring at the sky and the trees.

"I heard what happened..." Sean said looking at Jonathan, Joanna, Junior and Mel enter the room.

"Can I leave them with you for a second... "Jonathan said
Sean nodded as Jonathan and Joanna left the cafeteria.

"What is your problem" Joanna said

"Don't you get it Jo, they know at least a few of Carrington secrets... if we are all harsh on them... who knows what they could do, who they could tell... and personally I wouldn't have stopped them. I know very well they wouldn't have killed Trent" Jonathan said

Joanna raised an eye brow

"Okay you are right about not being harsh on them, but what makes you so sure they wouldn't have killed him" Joanna asked

"Melvin told me, he just wanted to make Trent feel his pain, he wanted to deliver it himself, killing him would be pointless as he believes it won't do any good anyway. Even if he isn't executed by the legal system, life in jail would be far worse for somebody like Trent. Junior has too much of a calm nature, he would want answers out of Trent he would want Trent to talk and stuff, so he's not going to kill him either" Jonathan answered

Joanna thought for a moment

"You are smarter then you look Jonathan" Joanna said

"Well whatever" Jonathan replied

"What no sarcastic comment?" Joanna smiled

"Don't push your luck..." Jonathan said

Joanna laughed "No, I won't..." she then looked into Jonathan's eyes "Is anything wrong?" Joanna asked. She just noticed that he hadn't cracked one joke ever since they had returned. As for as Joanna was concerned this was some kind of record for Jonathan. It almost worried her. It did worry her.

"Nah... I'm fine..." Jonathan walked away quietly.

A few hours passed and Joanna went up Carrington's office, she was now convinced there was something wrong with Jonathan, she asked Sean but he just shrugged. Velvet talked to Jonathan a bit but she didn't seem to know anything either... She didn't really want to bother Carrington with it but she did care about Jonathan's well being, she couldn't really understand it. Joanna knocked on the door.

"Come in" Carrington answered

Joanna walked in.

"Hello Joanna" Carrington said

"Hi" Joanna replied

There was a silence

"So... what did you come to see me about?" Carrington asked breaking the silence

"Do you know where Jonathan is?" Joanna was in the room now; she thought it would look stupid if she lied, especially because 9 times out of 10 Carrington knew when any of his agents were lying.

"Well... Agent Dark, not exactly" Carrington said, his facial expression changed.

"What do you mean by that?" Joanna asked surprised... it was a general curious question why did he turn all serious... Joanna thought

"He is fine of course, but he's not in the Institute" Carrington replied

"He just seemed to be acting strangely today, ever since we got back, he hasn't cracked one joke" Joanna said

Carrington smiled "Don't worry, Jonathan will be back to normal tomorrow" Carrington said

"So there is something going on..." Joanna said

Carrington sighed... but didn't answer Joanna as he went back to his computer. Joanna nodded taking that a sigh as a yes but I'm not telling you anything and walked out but she stopped at the door

"Sir?" She said

"Yes?" He replied

"Did you do anything regarding Melvin and Junior" Joanna asked

"No Agent Dark. I'll be sure to talk to Trent tonight... so you can expect a lot of info tomorrow, but as you seem to be bored..." Carrington started

"An assignment?" Joanna asked

"Of a kind... you don't have to do it as this isn't one of your stronger areas even for you Perfect Dark, but if you could it would be greatly appreciated" Carrington told her

"What is it?" Joanna looked at him puzzled

"Junior after talking to Trent seems to think there is a remote chance of his mother being alive... I'm sure Grimshaw would be only too happy to help you find out if there is any truth in that..." Carrington said

"But sir, Grimshaw isn't in today" Joanna gave a sigh of relief in her mind, but she was sure Carrington knew what she was thinking. Joanna hated very few things about the Institute and working with Grimshaw while he is looking over her shoulder was one of them.

"You don't miss anything do you Joanna" Carrington said

"Not much" Joanna said. Although in truth she only knew that because she looked in there for Jonathan.

"So you can work on your own, you are more then capable of looking up records" Carrington said

"Okay thank you sir" Joanna walked off

Why was she so concerned about him anyway, it's not like he was ever worried about her. Wait... there was that one time... okay two times... three even? Joanna removed those thoughts from her head... maybe this assignment would get her mind of it, but looking up computer records and stuff wasn't her thing, but she didn't HAVE to do it... it wasn't of any importance.

She went to the computer, where would she start... she didn't really know... how would she find out. She was just so used to be able to pull her data Uplink out and for Grimshaw or Carrington to give her the answers.

"I wonder what games they got on the computers?" A voice asked

"Probably none, I bet Mr. Carrington deleted them all... or just Solitaire and other things... you know I heard something really strange a while back?" a second voice said

"What?" The first voice asked

"That Solitaire has been on computers for more then 30 years or something" The second voice said

"Wow... that's incredible, why is it still on there..." The first voice seemed to be getting closer and the door to hacker central opened.

"I dunno" Mel said as Joanna turned her attention to him.

"Oh Hi Joanna, I thought nobody was in here" Junior said, she could have sworn Mel was giving her a dirty look of some kind.

"That's alright, I was just leaving" Joanna said
"Damn, they got no games on these, not even Solitaire" Mel grumbled

"Wait... you said something about being sort of good at computers right?" Junior asked

"Well I'm alright..." Mel said

"Could you search for any information, like anything relating to..." Junior started

"Your mother?" Mel interrupted

Joanna suddenly paid attention to conversation...

"Yeah...I know it sounds stupid to believe him, but... I just want to remove any doubts in my mind" Junior said

"You know what I think, but I can understand that... it shouldn't be too hard..." Mel said as he started to type and click away.

"Wait... you think you can do this?" Joanna asked him

"Do this? Well let's see... ah that's it... easy" Mel said proudly

"That fast!?" Joanna asked shocked

"Well, it's a story on the news websites and stuff... of course it was easy to find..." Mel said

Junior stared at the page. He read down the story. A woman who according to her friends is named Jessica Easton was recovered from her home and revived due the thoughtful acts of her 5 friends who happened to visit her that day. Not having the money herself to afford the necessary treatment her 5 friends contributed towards the cost and she was operated on. According to her friends they lost contact when she married former NSA head Trent Easton, but they have been long since divorced. However the authorities do not know the whereabouts of her son, Trent Easton Junior. A search has been called for...

"It doesn't say where she is... but at least she is still alive" Junior said

"But people are obviously looking for you... how are you going to explain you've suddenly gained 10 years, records would show your true age which is why they know of your existence... Skedar technology isn't going to cut it with them" Joanna said

"... you are saying I almost have to go backwards now, back to being weak and pathetic" Junior replied

"No... but it would be a thought... if your mother is truly alive..." Joanna started

"Hold it there Joanna... read this..." Mel said

Mel scrolled further down the page... and the story continued... the time was only 2 hours after the first story.

Jessica Easton has died, never regaining consciousness. Her friends are devastated and hope that the US Government will soon bring Trent Easton to justice after he attempted to kidnap and replace the President of the United States with a clone.

"Trent's spy according to him would have seen her die, he said he recalled him the day after, he knew she was dead..." Mel said

"So I've been made a fool of... he wanted to play games with me to avoid a beating... how could I be so stupid" Junior said "I shouldn't have been so selfish and just let you go first Mel..." Junior sighed

"You offered... I turned it down, it's my own fault... besides I will insist that he gets locked up for life as opposed to the easy way out... a gun shot to his head, big deal its over and done with... the other way... he suffers for much longer..." Mel said

Joanna just watched them, they did seem to get on well...

"What do you plan for the future Melvin?" Joanna asked

"Me? I dunno, might go back home... I have no idea..." Melvin replied

"Come with me... and Sean and stuff... I've always wanted a big brother" Junior said, it sounded rather child like

Mel laughed "You are taller and bigger then I am, it sounds stupid for me to call you my little brother..." Mel broke off...

"Just think about it... please?" Junior asked

"Okay... I mean I've really got nothing at the moment, so it would go against my brother's and I guess partly my saying of... there is nothing to be afraid of, if you've got nothing to lose" Mel said "But only if it doesn't inconvenience the others" Mel finished

"I'm sure it won't... you are great on the computer..." Joanna said

Mel blushed for a second... He made a mistake about judging Joanna before... she wasn't that nasty bitch of the Institute like everybody else made her out to be.

And so that is it... for this chapter... I was going to leave a cliffy about Junior's Mum but I figured I wouldn't (so Cristalina wouldn't try shoot me) and I then I had another option with leaving it with Mel... but those aren't really story hanging cliffys. If you are wondering, yes I am putting all my OC's in one place, so I don't focus on them because that's been a naughty habit of mine... there is a reason I have developed so many which will become obvious later...