CHAPTER 80

PRISONBREAK

December 11, 2010

7:12pm

Charlottesville, Virginia

Russell Family Home

The family sat crowded in the living room. Kaine was still tied up and had been given a sedative to keep him quiet so that no one needed to watch him.

"I don't want him around the children," Morgan declared.

"Aunt Morgan he poses no threat," Lissa said softly. "'Sides if he tries to hurt Amy or the boys they can defend themselves."

"Lissa don't take this the wrong way but I don't want him around Amy or the boys either," Greg said. Lissa stared at her brother incredulously. She had expected something like this from Jeremiah but not from Greg.

"He won't hurt them he has no reason to," Lissa argued.

"Just like he had no reason to hurt us?" Jake retorted.

"In his mind he had a justifiably reason," Jeremiah muttered. Lissa opened her mouth still not ready to back down. "But Lissa is right... Bobby won't hurt the kids. He seeks redemption, and he cares about Jason and Jack. They are the only ones he hasn't hurt and he's trying to make things right through them."

Around the room several jaws dropped in shock. Other's were wondering if Jeremiah had been replaced by an evil clone that they had not known about. Sam and Jen were the only two with relief on his faces. Jeremiah was finally taking the steps needed to let go of his anger towards Bobby.

"Um, did I just go crazy or did Jerry just actually defend Bobby," Marc asked.

"I didn't defend him, I just stated the facts," Jeremiah said softly he then got up from his seat and left the room heading through the kitchen and out the back door.

"Way to go Marc, Jer was finally coming around and you had to go and open your mouth," Lissa snapped.

"Melissa don't speak of things you don't comprehend," Jake reprimanded the younger girl.

"He's right," Aaron said absent mindedly as he and Andros got up following behind Jeremiah only stopping to grab their and Jeremiah's winter coats.

It was easy enough for Andros and Aaron to find Jeremiah. They knew that the older teen would be in the tree house that he and Alex frequented. The children's fortress of solitude, as it had been dubbed. And they were right, Jeremiah -like Alex weeks ago- was laying on his back in one of the hammocks that decorated the tree house, shivering slightly from the cold.

"We brought you this," Aaron said tossing Jeremiah his coat.

"Thanks," Jeremiah smiled pulling on his black peacoat.

"Hey, Alex would be pissed if we let you freeze," Aaron said sitting on one side of Jeremiah Andros on the other. The three teens were quite for quite some time before Andros spoke.

"I know we aren't Alex," Andros told Jeremiah. " But sadly you're stuck with us."

"Sorry," Aaron apologized. Jeremiah looked at the two boys, surprise flashed across his handsome features as he let out a soft chuckle.

"So um, how do you and Alex do this thing?" Andros asked truly wanting to help his cousin. Jeremiah had been through more than most the past few days.

"We just wait and see who starts talking first," Jeremiah replied and the teens sat in silence. It was Aaron who broke the quietness and Jeremiah wasn't surprised. Alex, Aaron, and Andros were not known for their patience.

"I know you hate him for what he did to us...to Alex and to your real mom. I also know that it scares the shit out of you that you might become him. Bobby had a lot of rage in him that led him to do the things he did. And well I hate to say it Jer, but you have a lot of rage in you. Most don't see it, but we can. It's easy for us to see it because it's like looking into a mirror. We all have that hidden rage in us," Aaron said.

"Thing was, I never truly noted it until the group of us first touched minds. And I have to admit, up until a few minutes ago you've had me mighty worried. I don't know what has happened but you've started to let go of your hate towards Bobby. Why?" Aaron asked.

"She told me I had to," Jeremiah stated.

"Who? Katie?" Andros questioned.

"No. My Mom, Alannah," The red head clarified. "For the first time in a long time she really talked to me and I heard her. She told me that if I didn't let go of it all, that the hate and the anger I felt would consume me. That I would turn into the one thing I feared."

"We're glad that you've let go Jer," Aaron spoke for himself and Andros.

"It wasn't just my Mom though. When Dad and I went to see Bobby, I lost my temper and managed to borrow Alex's P.K. I nearly lost control again if it wasn't for Dad I would have. It really scared me. How can you two control it so well? It's so easy for me to lose control, to let my emotions get the better of me," Jeremiah admitted.

"We can help you with that you know," Andros said looking down at his hands. "That's what brothers do, help each other."

"I-I'd like that,"Jeremiah stuttered. He was shocked by Andros's offer. Aaron on the other hand just couldn't help but grin. Andros had just extended Jeremiah and olive branch. Whatever jealousy Andros had felt towards Alex and Jeremiah's bond was forgotten. Andros had come to realize something Aaron had when Alex and Jeremiah had left to find Pete.

Alex and Jeremiah shared a unique bond that ran deep. Not as deep as Alex, Aaron, and Andros's of course but it was a deep bond none the less. It had been difficult for the boys to accept that anyone other than themselves could be as close to Alex as they were. But Aaron supposed that as he and Andros grew up they were leaving behind the silly thoughts and beliefs of their childhood.

The boys maybe geniuses but they were brothers first. Brothers who loved their baby sister more than anything and often let their emotions get the better of them.

December 12, 2010

9:14am

Blue Cove, Delaware

Unspecified Area

"Everyone in place," Adam asked over the mics. Adam, Benny and Allen had been placed in charge of all electrical needs. They were the eyes and ears for the Black Files and Sam. The boys had hacked in to NASA's satellite feed, repositioning a satellite so that they could track the path of the prison van as it made it's journey. With the boys was Jeff who was in charge of driving the van.

"How far off is the van?" Andros asked.

"Five miles," Benny reported glancing up at the feed of the van. Aaron and Andros were in a ditch along the road, rifles loaded and ready to shoot out the tires of the van. Next to the boys were Greg, Lissa and Jeremiah, armed with dart guns. The triplets had the job of taking out the guards. Once the guards were knocked out, Jake and Rachael would rush onto the bus un-cuff Bobby and get him into a waiting van.

"One mile," Allen muttered.

Aaron and Andros cocked their guns waiting for the van to appear in their sights.

"Half a mile."

Jeremiah's hands began to sweat. He pushed away his nervousness and focused on the task at hand.

"Quarter of a mile."

Greg could hear the bus quickly approaching. There was then the twin blast of the rifles going off. The tires on the right side of the bus were blown out and the bus skidded down the road nearly tilting over.

"Jer, Lis, Greg go now," Benny called over the headsets. The triplets took aim with their Smith and Wesson's and each fired a shot at the widows. The first round of rubber bullets broke the glass. The second volley of shots with the dart guns hit the two guards, sending them both into the land of unconsciousness.

"Jake, Rach," Jeremiah spoke signaling the brother and sister. Jake and Rachael ran over to the bus forcing open the door and entering the bus.

There was Bobby looking slightly dazed and very pale wearing an orange jumpsuit and chained to his seat.

"Bobby," Jake acknowledged the man's presence as he and his sister searched the guards for the keys to Bobby's chains and hand cuffs

"Jacob, Rachael how are you?" Bobby asked as though the three had just happened to cross paths while out for coffee.

"Been better," Rachael replied as she grasped the guards keys triumphantly and tossed them to Jake. Jake went over to Bobby and unlocked the cuffs.

"Let's go," Jake ordered grasping Bobby's hand and helping him up. He then pushed Bobby out of the van the two of them following Rachael to the van out in the woods.

Andros and Aaron were already in the van with Sam waiting on Jake, Rachael and Bobby. Lissa and her brothers had gotten in to the van with Jeff and the boys to avoid any uncomfortableness.

The two vans speed off towards the summer home to regroup and to inform Bobby of the next steps.

December 12, 2010

9:37am

Blue Cove, Delaware

Russell Summer Home

"Here," Jake said tossing Bobby a change of clothes; a long sleeve grey thermal shirt, a blue plaid shirt, dark blue jeans and a pair of boots and socks. "You know where the bathroom is right?"

"Yeah. And thanks for the clothes," Bobby said gesturing to the bundle in his hands.

"They're just some of my dad's spare cloths," Jake replied shrugging his shoulders. Bobby felt a surge of guilt over come him. Jake, Rachael, and Adam's biological father, Eddie had been murder thanks to one of Lyle's former pretenders, Alex.

"Still...thank you," Bobby said and went to the bathroom to change out of his unfaltering orange jumpsuit. He returned moments later, everyone -Sam, Jeff, Aaron, Andros, Jeremiah, Greg, Lissa, Jake, Rachael, Adam, Benny, and Allen- was sitting on the various couches and easy chairs waiting. It wasn't until then that Bobby realized that several of the Files -not including Alex- were missing.

"Where are Tobias, Terra, Marc, Cassie, Mike and Maddie?" He asked buttoning the cuffs of his shirt.

"Baby sitting," Aaron replied absent mindedly as he studied a map before him.

"That reminds me I need to call Alley," Jeff murmured reaching for the cordless phone and dialing a number. "Hello...Hey, Mikey...Yeah everything went down fine...Is Alley near...Oh she's putting AJ down for a nap...Alright then...No it's not important...Tell her I'll call back later...Bye then," Jeff said and hung up the phone.

"AJ?" Bobby asked, brow raised.

"My and Alley's daughter. Alexandra Radha Stewart," Jeff replied not meeting Bobby's eyes. Jeff still had a few unresolved issues with Bobby. Bobby had after all been one of Jeff's 'trainers' at the Centre. And like Morgan, Jeff wanted Bobby as far away from his daughter as possible.

"You and Alley named her after Alex," Bobby observed.

"Yes," Jeff replied and an uncomfortable silence ensued. Bobby ran his thumbless hand through his short black hair and avoided eye contact with everyone else. He wondered if the silence was some sort of pay back for what he had done back at the Centre. It sure as hell made him nervous enough as though everyone was judging him.

Looking up Bobby noticed that Aaron, Andros, Lissa, Greg and Jeremiah had their eyes closed appearing to be asleep.

"What are they doing?" Bobby asked nodding towards the five Black Files. Jake looked up from the map that he had been studying and glanced over at the younger Files.

"Talking to Alex more than likely. First time they've been able to since Pete got her back. Katie has been pretty out of it Cox and Raines took a lot out of her," Jake answered.

"What do you mean Cox and Raines took a lot out of her?" Bobby questioned eyebrows raised.

"That's right it happened after Jer talked to you," Jake mumbled to himself tiredly rubbing his hands along his face. For a moment he looked to be thirty instead of fifteen.

"A lot of shit has gone down since Jeremiah and I came to talk to you," Sam elaborated. The former Centre sweeper then informed Bobby of Cox and Raines appearances, how they had managed to take Alex. Sam went on to explain Peter's current condition, and how he was planing to overthrow Parker with the help of a dozen or so allies.

"He has Bane on his side? And Airell and Merlin," Bobby said finding humor in the fact that Parker had managed to screw up so badly by giving Peter everything he would need to over through the Centre hierarchy.

"You know of them?" Rachael asked not truly surprised.

"Of course. I was the one who arranged for you and Jake to work with Bane. I was never in charge of any of them of course. All of them were Raines projects," Bobby spoke.

"She's okay," Andros sighed opening his eyes relief evident on his face.

"A little worse for the wear, but okay," Aaron added.

"Bane, and Pete are making sure she gets plenty of rest. Once we get home we'll call Pete and make plans on getting everyone out and destroying the Centre once and for all." Jeremiah said meeting every ones eyes but Bobby's. Jeremiah may have been working on the steps towards forgiving Bobby, but there was still a ways to go. "Dad can we go now?" Jeremiah asked Sam.

It was painfully obvious that Jeremiah wanted to get to Alex as soon as possible. It was also very obvious that Jeremiah had just let Bobby know that no matter what their relationship might one day be, Sam would always be the man Jeremiah called Dad.

"Of course, let's get out of here. Adam, Benny, Allen you three are ridding with Jake, Rachael and I.. Air, Andy, Lis, Greg and Jer you lot are with Jeff," Sam designated seating arrangements. "Bobby you're with me as well."

The seating arrangements were politics pure and simple. Bobby was placed with the group of people he was least likely to upset. He didn't know weather to be grateful that Sam had not placed him with Jeremiah, Lissa and Greg or angry.

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