CHAPTER 84
ANSWERS
December 12, 2010
2:29pm
Charlottesville, Virginia
Russell Family Home
"Hello!" Ethan called out as he and Jon entered the mansion. Sam and Morgan exited the kitchen and the sound of Ethan's voice, and several pairs of feet were heard on the steps.
"Hey, Pop," Marc greeted his father, Jon. Cassie and Debbie were right behind their younger brother.
"How are the three of you?" Jon asked his kids.
"Good, Daddy. We'll be even better once we get Alex back though," Cassie replied.
"Yeah, then Debbie and Jay can finally get married," Marc jested, Debbie swatted at her brother. Though she was anxious to have her wedding, Debbie was more concerned about Alex, Jack, and Peter.
Adam made his way downstairs to meet his father. Adam was more than excited to see Ethan, the father and son hadn't seen each other in a month and a half.
"Hey Dad, long time no see," Adam spoke giving his father a hug. Ethan held on tightly to his son relieved that Adam was safe and back at home.
"It's good to see you again," Ethan whispered in Adam's ear.
"Same here," Adam replied, stepping out of his father's arms. Ethan took the opportunity to study his son. In the past month Adam had grown at lest two inches, putting him at five feet three. His once blonde hair was now red, and Adam's face had freckled over the month since Ethan had seen his son last, making Adam seem as though he was Irish. Even Adam's eyes had changed, they were still grey, but a colder grey than they had once been. The mirth that usually sparkled in Adam's eyes had disappeared. If not for his dyed red hair, Adam would look like a miniature Jake.
"You've grown," Ethan said simply.
"I guess so, huh?" Adam shrugged his shoulders.
"Kids why don't you get Jon's stuff set up in your room," Sam suggested from the other side of the room.
"Yeah, I'd like to see what you and the others have done Adam. I hear that Allen and Benny are real wiz kids on the computer. How good are they at breaking pass the Centre fire walls?" Jon began to ramble. Adam shook his head as he and the other's led Jon up to the Files room.
Ethan turned to look over at his brother and sister. "So, were's Bobby?" Ethan questioned.
"Talking to Dad, I suppose," Morgan said sitting down on the couch.
"And how are you doing?" Ethan asked sitting down next to his sister wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Morgan laidher head on Ethan's shoulder.
"I'm scared...tired...I feel helpless to save my children," Morgan admitted. Ethan smiled sadly and placed a kiss to Morgan's brow.
"You may be tired of hearing this, but it's going to be okay," Ethan told her. "Nicky wanted to come you know. He'd feel guilty leaving Sara, Em, Mom, Dad, and Michelle alone with all the kids."
"You on the other hand don't," Morgan teased.
"Oh I do, but my brother and sister need me," Ethan said.
"That we do," Morgan replied as her thoughts turned to Jack, her baby boy who was currently upstairs watching over his niece and nephew. According to Will Jack's fever had increased two degrees, placing his temperture at just under 100 degrees. Yet Jack did not act as though he were sick. Proving that Jack was defiantly Morgan and Jarod Russell's son, in the fact that he hid his ailments as to not appear weak.
"Well let me go and check on my oldest kids. Make sure they've actually eaten or slept with in the past three days or so," Ethan said partly joking as his stood up.
"I think I saw Maddox shove a pop tart down Jake's throat earlier today...but I'm sure if she was trying feed him or to get him to stop talking," Sam grinned.
"Thank's Sam. That greatly reassures me," Ethan said snidely. "Soon as I check on the kids I'll head over to the lab. See if a fresh pair of eyes can spot anything new."
"Ethan, really, thank you for coming," Morgan called out to her brother as he headed up the stairs.
"Where else would I be?" Ethan said over his should as he continued up the stairs.
December 12, 2010
8:29pm
Carthis, Scotland
The New Centre
"Were...is...she," Raines wheezed as he sat before Peter. Raines nor, Cox where pleased to discover that Alex had been taken earlier that morning. Nor was Raines please that it seemed that Peter had taken over chairmanship.
"I need you to be a bit more specific, Mr. Raines," Peter said calmly from behind the chairman's desk. Mr. Parker had been relocated to his living quarters and was being kept under lock and key. All of Parker's loyal servants had been dismissed not just from the Centre but from Carthis all together. And Parker's communication abilities -fax, telephone, computer- had been cut off as well. Peter was taking over and taking charge, relying on Bane and the others for support.
"Where is the Russell Girl?" Cox hissed pratically foaming from the mouth. The man was absolutely livid.
"According to my sweeper," Peter nodded behind him to indicate Bane. "Miss Russell was abducted from her room yesterday afternoon...by force. Tell me, what where your plans for Miss Russell?" Peter asked.
"I will not be questioned by a ten year old boy!" Cox roared. Peter did not seem phased in the slightest.
"I may be a ten year old boy. But you are forgetting that I am also chairman of this facility, and you sir, shall do well not to forget that fact," Peter commanded. A vein in Cox's temple began to twitch, as Cox realized that he was being forced into obeying Peter, the boy had the backing of the Triumvirate and within hours had managed to gain a loyal following.
So Cox and Raines remained silent, their silence may have also contributed to the fact that Bane had his hand resting on the but of his gun, the safety off as he glared at Cox and Raines. The teen was waiting for a reason to shoot either ghoul.
"I'm glad that the three of us have reached an understanding," Peter smiled at the men knowing that he had the upper hand. "Now gentlemen, let us move away from the subject of why you wanted Miss Russell and discuss just what was done to young Gabriel and Zane Russell. I want to know just what was given to Gabriel and how young Zane is the answer to Gabriel's cure."
"Forgive me...Chairman," Cox winced. "But I have no idea what you are referring to," the man played dumb.
"Do not play me for a fool sir, for I am not. You will tell me just what you did to the Russell boys or your remaining days will be short and very painful," Peter threatened, meaning every word. Despite himself Cox found himself a bit frightened by the boy.
"Should I tell our young chairman about the Russell twins condition?" Cox asked Raines wanting to rattle the young boy's nerves.
"What...can...he...do to...help?" Raines wheezed.
"Better yet why does he care about them?" Cox questioned, meeting Peter's eyes.
"Why do you think?" Peter retorted through clenched teeth. "Jason and Jack are my brothers are they not?" Raines and Cox were not good at hiding their shock as their eyes went wide and their jaws dropped. At the comical expressions of Raines and Cox, Bane let out a chortle of laughter that quickly turned into a cough.
"So...once...again...the reeducation...of a...Russell...has failed," Raines said to Peter. Peter actually smiled at Raines.
"Thank you, for acknowledging me as a Russell. It's nice having someone not refer to me as John Parker, or Master Parker, and so on and so fourth. Now...tell me what did you do to my brothers," Peter ordered growing serious.
"I just injected the boy with the drug, Alex designed it. As for Zane's role in all of this, I never had to alter anything in his genetics," Cox told Peter.
"Alex never designed a drug like the one you gave Jack. She would have remembered," Peter argued.
"My dear chairman...I am not referring to you sister," Cox grinned. Realization dawned on Peter's face, knowing just who Cox was referring to. Cox was not talking about Alexandra Katherine Russell, but sociopath Alex. The Alex responsible for killing, Adam, Jake, and Rachael's biological father, Eddie. The Alex who nearly killed Morgan trying to get a rise out of Jarod, the man Peter called father.
"Where...is...he?" Peter growled. There was nothing more Peter wanted at that point than to see Alex dead.
"At the moment he is in Delaware, tying up a few lose ends," Cox grinned.
"You sent him to kill those that hand in the kidnaping of myself and my brothers," Peter stated.
"Such...an...astute...boy," Raines commended Peter.
"How, is it that Jason can help cure Jack?" Peter asked not to be deterred from his quest for the truth.
"Evolution my boy. You're brother's have always been empaths, but when we went to evolve the boys' genetics further we learned that they had a latent ability rarely seen. An ability that maybe one in a half of a billion people possess naturally. And it was a complete surprise that your brother's would even posses such an ability when none of their siblings do," Cox spoke.
"And just what is this ability?" Peter inquired.
"Why my young chairman, you're baby brother's are healers," Cox replied grinning like that cat that ate the cannery. Peter's jaw dropped.
"That's why you really wanted Alex. It wasn't about Shadow, you wanted to know if Alex possessed the ability to be a healer," Bane spoke up, realization dawning on his features. "Everything else was just a bonus."
"I always...knew...you...were...smarter...than...you...appeared," Raines wheezed.
"Claire," Peter spoke pressing a button on his phone and paging his secretary.
"Yes, Chairman," Came the voice of a woman in her mid-thirties.
"Please send in Derek, Akio and Jiro," Peter replied.
"Yes, Chairman," Claire spoke. Moments later Derek, Akio, and Jiro entered the office.
"You called, Peter," Derek asked.
"Derek, could you, Akio, and Jiro escort, Mr. Raines, and Dr. Cox to separate cells on SL-18?" Peter inquired.
"It would be our pleasure, Peter," Jiro sneered at the two men. Derek took the task of wheeling Raines out of the room, while, Jiro and Akio seized either of Cox's arms and lead the man to his cell.
"Well," Bane spoke once the room was empty save himself and Peter.
"We need to warn my family, that Alex...sociopath Alex is alive and in the states. He may know where we live. From there we need to send someone to take care of Alex. He's dangerous and better off dead," Peter said deep in thought his hands steepled together against his forehead.
"And of course we need to tell them about Jace and Jack. If I had it my way I wouldn't tell Katie about Alex but she'll learn anyway. Air, Andy or one of the other's are bound to tell her if we don't."
"What do you want me to do first?" Bane asked Peter.
"Things must appear as normal. We must continue to conduct Centre affairs as though nothing has changed. If the triumvirate learns that I know the truth of who I am and that we plan on bring down the Centre then all hell will rain down. We must wait for my family to come and 'break us out'," Peter replied
"I hate waiting," Bane stated.
"As do I. But we have no choice in this case," Peter told his friend.
"What worries me is that though you have seized control of the Centre, we still have many enemies here. The longer we wait the longer our enemies have time to plan. It's common knowledge you've taken over Peter. There are many here who will try and over throw you." Bane pointed out as he moved to sit across from Peter.
"I know. But we've already sent away all of Parker's loyal subjects. If we continue to get rid of anyother employees, red flags will go up and the Triumvirate will learn that something is amiss," Peter argued.
"Well then, what do we do?" Bane asked again.
"Go to Alex and tell her what's going on. I'll call my family," Peter said.
Up Next: Jeremiah contacts Alex. And it may seem at though everyone's prayers have been answered when it comes to Jason and Jack, but things aren't as simple as they seem.
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