"Calm down, Mr. Farkas," Sheriff Tanner said. "Now, how long has he been missing?"

"Three days," Farkas answered.

"And you are just now reporting it?" Tanner demanded in disbelief.

"He was supposed to have met some friends in Greensboro, North Carolina and take a flight to Florida," Farkas explained. "They were going to spend a week in Fort Lauderdale. Jeff called a few minutes ago and to find out why Joe changed his mind about going."

"But he did go. He just never got there," Sheriff Tanner ended for him. "Can you describe your son to me?"

"Seventeen, six feet tall, blond hair and blue eyes," Farkas answered. "He's in real good shape and is what the girls call cute. Now, call the FBI. Do something!" he demanded, his voice growing frantic once more.

"Mr. Farkas, could you meet me at the hospital entrance in thirty minutes?" requested the sheriff.

"Y..yes," Farkas answered, sounding scared. "Why? Is he..." he broke off, seemingly unable to continue.

"We have a young man, about sixteen or seventeen years of age who has amnesia," Tanner explained. "Dr. Fairbanks has been looking after him and has ordered a CAT Scan to make sure there is no permanent damage."

"I'll leave now," Farkas said, the excitement in his voice filtering through the phone line.

Tanner hung up and looked at Joe. "If you are Farkas's son you're seventeen," he informed the youth and told him what Farkas had said.

"I don't believe it," Fairbanks stated, his eyes hard. "Joe isn't anything like Farkas."

"In looks, he is," Tanner disagreed with the doctor as he ran a speculative eye over the boy.

"But not in morals," Roger insisted. "I know Farkas and Joe is as different from him as night is from day."

"We shall see," Tanner stated.

"You won't let him take Joe?" demanded Fairbanks angrily.

"Not without proof," Tanner promised.

"I'm sorry," apologized Joe once they were back in the car.

"Whatever for?" Roger asked in surprise.

Joe gave a self-conscious shrug, a movement so slight his shoulders barely moved. "For all of the trouble my family has caused you and the people around here."

"Joe, we don't even know if you are Farkas's son," Roger reminded him gently. "And even if you are, I sincerely doubt you know what is going on up there. I'm a pretty good judge of character and you aren't the kind of person who would allow someone to get hurt." Fairbanks frowned. "Maybe that is how you got hurt."

"Huh?"

"You're very inquisitive," Roger observed. "Maybe you noticed something was going on and one or more of Farkas's men got to you before they realized who you were. Of course, they wouldn't tell their boss. They would be afraid of what he would do to them."

"So you do believe I'm Farkas's son?" Joe queried.

Fairbanks gave a deep sigh. "I hope not," he said.

"Well, if I am Farkas's son, I am not going to keep quite about what's going on," Joe stated stubbornly. "I know those people died from radiation poisoning and I intend to find out how."

Ryan Farkas parked his green Ford Bronco in the first available space he could find and hurried over to the sheriff's car as Tanner opened the door.

"Where's my son?" Farkas demanded once the sheriff had exited his car and shut the door.

"We aren't sure if he is your son," Tanner pointed out.

"Well, does he have a little mole on his left thigh?" demanded Farkas. "Or a little round birthmark, no bigger than a cigarette burn, on the top of his left foot?"

"I'm not sure," the sheriff replied, convinced Joe was the man's son if indeed he did have the two identifying marks. "Let's go see if he's finished yet."

The two men reached the second floor where the CAT Scan was being administered and took seats in the waiting room.

The sheriff watched Farkas closely. He always considered a person's body language to be one of the most important leads to a suspect's guilt or innocence and right now, Farkas was acting like a worried father.

Joe entered the waiting room almost an hour later. Farkas saw him enter and froze for a brief second before leaping to his feet. "Joseph!" he exclaimed, rushing up to Joe and enveloping him in a hug that buried Joe's face in the man's shoulder. "I've been out of my mind," Farkas continued, pulling back but not releasing Joe. He took in the bruise on Joe's forehead and winced. "What happened to you?"

Joe gave a wan smile. For some reason he couldn't fathom, this man made him sick to his stomach. "I...I'm not sure," Joe stuttered.

"Will Dr. Fairbanks be out soon?" Tanner asked Joe.

Joe nodded. "As soon as he finishes going over the results with the lab technician."

"Good," Tanner stated. "While we wait, would you mind taking off your left shoe?" Joe made a face and Tanner hastened to explain about the birthmark.

"Okay," agreed Joe, sitting down. He pulled off the sneaker and then his sock. There was a small round mark on the top of his left foot. It looked more like a burn scar from a cigarette to him but then, why would he have been burnt there?

"There is one more," Tanner said. "A mole on your thigh."

"Left?" asked Joe. He had noticed it when he had showered earlier that morning. Surprisingly, he hadn't seen any other moles or freckles on his body except the one and that, he supposed, is why it had been so noticeable. "I guess you really are my father," Joe said, turning to look at Farkas.

"Of course I am," Farkas said, putting an arm around Joe's shoulders and squeezing. "And I'm sure that once you get back home around familiar things, and your brother, that your memory will start returning."

"I hope so," said Joe miserably. "It's horrible not knowing who I am or you." He paused. "What's my brother's name?" he asked.

"Jerry," Farkas answered.

'That's not right.' The thought exited his mind as quickly as it had come and Joe remained silent.

"Where is Fairbanks?" demanded Farkas, turning to glare at the nurse behind the desk. "I want to know everything about my son's condition."

"I'm right here," Fairbanks declared a bit dryly, entering the waiting room as Farkas was speaking.

"And how do we know Joe is your son?" Fairbanks demanded. "Do you have any proof?"

"He knew about my birthmark," Joe informed Dr. Fairbanks, his expression a bit forlorn.

Dr. Fairbanks tightened his lips briefly. He couldn't understand how Joe could be so sad after finding out who he was unless his sub-conscious was telling him that Farkas was lying. Except, how could he be lying? Farkas couldn't have known about Joe's birthmark unless he was the boy's father or at least knew him.

"The CAT Scan was clear," Fairbanks said. "Joe should still take it easy for a few days and get plenty of rest. He will need a check up in about two weeks."

"What about his memory?" Farkas asked in concern, releasing Joe and giving the doctor his full attention.

Dr. Fairbanks's expression softened a bit. Farkas was scum in his book but he did seem to care about his family. "Don't push it," he finally advised. "His memory should return once he gets back in familiar surroundings but it could return all at once or in flashes."

"Flashes?" asked Joe.

"You might see someone or even an item and a memory associated to that person or thing might flitter through your mind even though you may not fully recognize the person or item," Roger explained.

"Like if I saw a boat I might have the feeling that I've been on it but not remember when or with whom?" asked Joe.

"Exactly," acknowledged Fairbanks. He put a hand on Joe's shoulder and looked into his eyes. "When you are ready to remember, you will," he promised. "And if you need anything, let me know, hmm?"

"I will," promised Joe, aware of the slight alteration in Farkas's demeanor.

"Come on, Son," Farkas said, taking Joe's arm. "Let's get you home."