Joe awoke early the next morning and looked out of his bedroom window. The view was kind of depressing for it was of the mountain that was being cleared. He could see two men working from where he stood, but he had expected more.

'Maybe it's too early,' thought Joe, moving away from the window. He went around the room picking things up and putting them back down. He returned to the bed and sat down, picking up the five by seven frame from the nightstand as he did so. It was a picture of a young woman about twenty-five years of age with long blond tresses and blue eyes with a dimple on her left cheek. She was no great beauty and there was a kind of hardness to her eyes but she still was pleasant to look at. Joe frowned, feeling guilty. The picture was at his bedside. It had to be a picture of his deceased mother but Joe felt no stirring of emotion as he gazed at the face.

A slight knock heralded the opening of the door and Jerry poked his head inside. "Hey, bro," he greeted Joe. "That's mom," he said, entering the room and seeing what Joe was looking at.

"I can't remember her," Joe said. "Not even a feeling."

"You wouldn't," Jerry told him. "We were both little when she died. You were barely eight months old."

"How did she die?" asked Joe, looking up at Jerry.

"Car crash," Jerry answered, a thoughtful look on his face. "What did you mean, not even a feeling?"

"Well, when Dad suggested we get to know each other better, I felt like that was something I had been longing for," explained Joe. "And when I heard I had a brother, you, I felt safe. But there's nothing there when I look at the picture of mom," he ended sadly.

"Hey, don't look so down," Jerry said comfortingly as he sat down and put an arm around Joe's shoulders. "Like I said, Mom died when you were a baby. There's no way you could remember anything, even a feeling, about her."

"I guess you're right," Joe admitted ruefully although in his mind he could hear a woman's voice humming softly. 'Strange,' he thought. 'I think about mom and I get whispers of memories. I see her and nothing.'

"Breakfast is ready," Jerry told Joe. "Get dressed and come on down."

"Okay," Joe agreed standing up. After Jerry left, Joe went over to the closet and pulled out some clean clothes for after his shower. The first thing he pulled out looked new so he decided to get something older. He wanted to explore outside today and there was no reason to get good clothing dirty. He kept searching but everything in his closet looked new. Giving up, he removed a pair of crisp blue jeans and a black tee shirt sporting a band logo and a swamp scene on the front. He grabbed some underwear from a bureau drawer, not surprised to find this also all new, and went to take his shower.

Why was all of his clothing new, he wondered as he stepped under the spray and began to lather up. By the time he had finished his shower he hadn't come up with a single reason. He thought about asking but realized that would make him sound suspicious. 'Aren't I?' he asked himself. 'Face it, kid. Things just don't add up.'

Joe started out of the bedroom but stopped and turned to pick up the soiled linen, freezing as he realized why. A brief flash of memory had intruded on his thoughts. His mother was telling him to put his dirty clothes in the hamper. He didn't know how he knew the voice that ran through his head belonged to his mother but he was certain it was and that meant Jerry had lied to him.

But why would Jerry lie to him unless he was only trying to make him feel better about not remembering their mother? Joe took a deep breath. He guessed Jerry was a great big brother. No wonder he had felt safe when he had found out he had a brother. But was lying about their mom really going to help him in the long run? Still confused, Joe headed downstairs to breakfast.

"Jerry, why don't you take your brother exploring today?" Farkas suggested as they finished breakfast. "I'm sure Joe wants to look around and see if anything seems remotely familiar. Even though you hadn't been here long before your accident," he added, turning to Joe. Farkas's smile faded only to be replaced by a sad frown. "If only we hadn't sold the old homestead," he continued. "I'm sure you would have had an easier time remembering."

"It's okay, Dad," Joe told him. "Dr. Fairbanks was fairly positive my memory would come back. Um...Dad, would you mind if I went to visit the Fairbanks this evening?" Joe asked a bit hesitantly. "I'll tell him Phipps wasn't acting on your behalf. Maybe you and he could even be friends. I know I'd like to get friendlier with his daughter."

"We'll see how you are feeling," Farkas replied with a forced smile.

"Sounds like it's a good thing you don't have a girlfriend," Jerry told Joe, standing up. "I'm going to help clear the table but you can go on out to the porch. I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

"I'll help," offered Joe.

"No," Farkas objected. "You're still a bit of an invalid," he explained. "You can pick up your chores again next week."

"Lucky dog," Jerry told him with a grin.

Joe left the room, conscious of the fact that Jerry and his dad started whispering fiercely as he moved away. He didn't like being left out but he was sure he had secrets with each of them that the other didn't know about. 'If only I could remember them,' Joe thought morosely as he stepped through the front door and onto the large, wraparound porch.

Joe walked to the banister and set both hands on it as he gazed at the countryside around him. His eyes fastened on an outcropping of rocks in the distance. There could be a cave around there, he thought. He was still staring at the area when the door opened behind him and Jerry came outside.

"Well, Little Brother, are you ready?" Jerry asked.

"Yes," Joe said without hesitation. "Can we start over there?" he asked, pointing to the outcrop.

"Actually, Dad thought we should start out with an easy walk and then, if you are feeling up to it, we can climb up there," Jerry answered.

"Really?" asked Joe, lifting his eyebrows in surprise. "Dad won't mind if I look around there?"

"Of course not, silly," Jerry answered. "But remember, what you see is a secret," he warned him. "You only have limited security clearance because you haven't been around to help. But you did sign off saying you wouldn't speak of the project to anyone."

"I can keep a secret," Joe declared in an affronted tone.

"I know you can," Jerry agreed. "Now, let's get moving."

Jerry showed Joe the area surrounding the house that had gone unseen the night before and then led him into the woods toward the sawmill.

"Not a lot of people work here, do they?" asked Joe once they were inside the main building.

"No," acknowledged Jerry. "But we do have more men than you've seen so far," he continued. "They are working on the contract for the government."

"How long have we been working on this project?" asked Joe.

"About six months."

"And people are still getting sick?" asked Joe in shock. "Why haven't more precautions been taken? Since the material we're mining for is radioactive, the government should provide protective suits for the employees. They've done it before."

Jerry looked surprised that Joe seemed to know something on the subject but he quickly hid his amazement. "Up to that climb?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yes," Joe replied enthusiastically. He had enjoyed looking around but he was anxious to look at the mine.

"Easy," Jerry said sometime later when Joe lost his grip on the rock cliff and nearly fell.

"Isn't there an easier way?" demanded Joe. He couldn't believe the workers had to climb the cliff to get to work.

"Of course there is," Jerry answered. "But you wouldn't be allowed inside," he explained. "If we sneak in the side entrance, the one security doesn't know about, you will be able to satisfy your curiosity."

"Are you sure?" Joe asked.

"I'm your big brother," Jerry responded. "Trust me."

"The opening is kind of small," Jerry told him a little later when they reached a small opening. "But it opens up about twenty yards in. Here," he added, handing Joe a flashlight. "You go first."

Joe took the light and turned it on. He couldn't see anything in the small entrance but rock. Taking a deep breath, Joe moved forward. There was no need for him to be afraid. His brother was right behind him after all.

"Keep going!" he heard Jerry shout from a few yards behind him. "I just have to tie my shoe."

Joe took a few more steps then froze in horror as a loud explosion rippled through the cave. Joe threw his hands over his head as the roof began to cave in.