Mrs. Rhett Butler- I have a general idea of where I want to take the sequel. It'll take place about seven years latter so most of the kids will be in their teens.
Erikstrulove- No evil clone, but their might be a nice side of Lyle coming up. One sequel coming up. Of course it will have to be after my prequel for The Black files.
morgan - Glad you like the chapter
LJP - Now I can't get close to the end of the story with out having a little bit of mushiness.
CHAPTER 58
DECISIONS
February 13, 2004
7:13pm
Charlottesville, Virginia
Russell Family Home
"Hey Greg you seen Jer?" Alex asked her cousin after dinner. A portion of the children were in the kitchen washing, and drying dishes.
"He went outside a little while ago?" Greg replied.
"Thanks Greg." Alex said walking out the back door in search of Jeremiah. She found him once again atop a tree. In was in fact the same three she had found him last time.
"I was wondering when you would come?" Jeremiah called down to her. Alex quickly climbed the tree and sat down next to her cousin.
"Did I ever tell you that climbing a tree was one of the first things I did after I escaped the Centre?" Alex asked softly.
"No you didn't." Jeremiah replied.
"Things were easier then, when I first got out. I was just focusing on getting to know my family and experience new things, getting to know what freedom truly was. But now..." She trailed off.
"We have decisions to make. Decisions we have to make on our own." Jeremiah finished for her."
"How far did you get on Lyle's file?" Alex asked. Jeremiah sighed.
"I don't think I can do it Alex. I hate Lyle for what he did to my mother, I truly do. But I can't sign his death warrant. He is my father, telling me to make sure that he gets the death penalty is just something I'm not willing to do." Jeremiah said.
"And the others how do they feel?"
"The aren't to thrilled. And I just couldn't talk to them about this any more."
"Well then it's a good thing you've got me then huh?" Alex replied.
"Yeah it is." Jeremiah agreed. "Alex?"
"Yeah."
"I'm really glad you're my cousin."
"Me too, Jer." Alex said leaning on him. "We're how they should have been you know, my mom, your dad." Alex commented. The two were then silent for a while.
"You would think that it would be easier for us to talk about these things with our own brother's and sisters." Jeremiah said breaking the silence.
"They're too close Jer, They're going through the same things as us, and we just have different views on the subject. Daddy asked me the other day what I wanted to do about my scars. I told him I wanted to keep one. Andy and Air were outraged. They wanted to know why I wanted to keep such a 'horrible memento of the Centre'. I told them that it was a part of who I was. That the Centre is a major part of who I am. Granted we had some pretty bad times there but there were good times too. I don't really want to forget what happened to us. I want to remember. By remembering everything that happen to us there it will give me incentive to be a good person later on in life. But Andy and Air don't understand that."
"That's because they can't. Their brands faded away completely over time, as they faded they forgot. For you and me it's hard to for get. We've been through more then they have, seen more then they have. Lissa and Greg don't see why it's so hard for me to decide weather Lyle lives or dies. I'm not Gad nor am I the law. I'm an eight-year-old boy who is starting to develop an ulcer. I just want to hand all of the evidence over to the Feds. Let them decide what should happen with Lyle. I want no part in it."
"Except you do have a part in it. And Jer you are making a decision either way. You're deciding on if you're going to be judge and jury or if you are going to let and actual judge and jury partake in Lyle's sentence."
"Why can't Greg and Lissa see it that way. They think that I've forgiven him for what he's done."
"They can't see it that way 'cause they want revenge, And well revenge clouds the judgement." Alex told Jeremiah.
"You know we seriously need to stop watching Dr. Phill." Jeremiah giggled.
"I thin k you're right we're starting to sound like grandpa Syd."
"We'd better get back to the house it's getting dark." Jeremiah said. The two climbed down form the tree and headed back to the house.
"Hey where were you two, Al and I were looking all over for you." Will said as Alex and Jeremiah entered the house.
"We were outside talking." Alex said.
"About?" Will prompted.
"Stuff." Jeremiah replied. "So what's up?"
"Don't know really adults called a meeting." Will replied and the two children followed will into the living room where the rest of the family was seated.
"Good everyone's here." Jarod began.
"Daddy what's going on?" Peter asked.
"Yeah Daddy what's with the meeting?" Alley echoed.
"Well we've been talking –and by we I mean those of us over the age of eighteen- and we've come to agree that once everything start to happen we're going to send you all some place safe."
"What!" Came the chorus of twenty shocked and angry children.
"Uncle Jarod that's preposterous." Tobias exclaimed.
"Toby's right were perfectly safe here." Terra said agreeing with her brother.
"But you all are forgetting that you are known here. Will, Al, Chris, and Deb all go to school here." Morgan spoke.
"And?" Alley retorted.
"People are not dumb they will put two and two together." Lex replied.
"Dad they'd have to be physic to figure out what we are." Mike told his father.
"Mikey think about it. A group of children all of multiple births, appear out of no where. Once facts about the Centre start to leek people will become curious." Jen said.
"But Momma won't they be curios if we all just up and leave?" Melissa asked.
"That may be so Lissa but we want to keep you all safe. The last thing we want is for Centre associates to discover where you all are." Sam answered.
"But you're sending us away!" Alex yelled. "This is our home, we shouldn't have to leave it to be safe. We're supposed to be safe here. Not to mention the fact that we just found you and your sending us off to some place where we've never been."
"Baby it's just to keep you all safe." Morgan said holding her daughter. "Yes we probably are safe here but we don't want to take any chances."
"It's not fair." Adam said.
"You're right Ad it's not. But when it comes down to the safety of our children we'll do what we must." Ethan spoke.
"Where are you sending us?" Rachael asked
"Canada," Jarod said cringing he knew that the outburst that followed would be bad. He wasn't disappointed.
"What!" Aaron yelled leaping to his feet.
"Have you lot lost your minds!" Chris yelled.
"No but you certainly have if you think you're going to take to me in that tone of voice young man." Charles told his son. Chris mumbled an apology and sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Well I guess we're going to need new clothes." Jeremiah mused out loud. The whole family looked at him as though he had lost his mind. "What isn't a lot colder in Canada than it is here." He was greeted with silence. "Okay then, I'll just keep my thoughts to my self."
"There is another thing as well." Jarod said.
"Let me guess not only are you sending us to hell frozen over you're going to split us all up." Andros said sarcastically.
"Andros Thomas-Kyle Russell." Morgan warned.
"Sorry Momma," Andros said lowering his head.
"No we aren't splitting you all up." Jarod said.
"Thank God for small miracles." Maddie whispered.
"A decision needs to be made," Jarod began disregarding Maddie's comment. "It needs to be decided what is going to happen with the Centre. And technically there is one person in this room whom has every right to make the final decision." Jarod said. Everyone turned to look at Peter.
"Me?" The boy squeaked.
"Yup you Tiger." Will said.
"But I'm five. I don't know what to do." Peter said.
"We know that sweetheart, we had no intentions of making you deiced what would happen with the Centre. But you see the Centre is your birthright. You aren't really old enough to take control of it, but your father and I can act upon your wishes."
"But why should it be me who just decides. All of us were affected by the Centre in some degree." Peter said. "I think that everyone should get a say in what happens."
"Well I personally think we should blow it up." Will said.
"There are other options William." Jarod said. "We could make it a place it once was, a place meant to do good."
"I'm kinda reluctant to step back inside those walls." Cassie admitted.
"I agree with Cassie on this one." Marc said.
"I think that the original building should be destroyed and another built in its place." Greg spoke.
"Oh no, I have read way too many, books and seen way too many movies about building any thing on unhallowed ground. Usualy everyone dies but the time all is said and done with." Debbie said.
"Then we'll get a priest." Chris joked.
"What about a park?" Adam asked.
"That's a good idea Ad." Ethan told his son.
"What about you three, you're awfully quite." Morgan said addressing her children.
"We think we should do what Dad said. Make the Centre the place it was meant to be." Aaron answered.
"We could make it a place to help families." Andros continued.
"Yeah we could turn it in to a facility were families are reunited." Alex said
"After everything is said and done with we can petition the government to allow us Centre funds to fund the facility." Will supplied.
"There could be a clinic that perform specialty surgeries for those who can't afford it." Marc said getting excited.
"A pro bono law firm that deals in family law." Maddie added.
"What about a school where people like us could learn to use their gifts." Alley suggested.
"Yeah our very own mutant academy." Tobias laughed.
"Get these kids together and they'll think up anything." Margaret chuckled.
"So Pete what do you think? After all you get the final say." Jarod said to his son.
"I say go for it." Peter said smiling.
"Alright then while you all are in Canada you can work on finalizing plans." Lex told the kids.
"You mean we still have to go?" Adam said.
"Sorry, Sport but yeah." Ethan said. A loud sigh was heard coming from the children.
"Look it's only for a couple of weeks. And it's not like you'll be there alone. Most of us will be there with you." Jarod said.
One more to go boys and girls. It's okay don't cry, review instead.