A.N.: No I'm not dead, and I wish I could say that I have some better reason other than a busy work schedule that has kept me from posting. But I'm back at school now and hopefully I will return to posting once a week.

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CHAPTER 95

PATERNAL PROBLEMS: PART II

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December 13, 2010

11:13pm

Charlottesville, Virginia

Russell Family Home

'We have a major problem,' Alex told Aaron, Andros, Mike, Maddie, Jeremiah, Lissa and Greg. The seven Black Files had been in the process of reviewing their plans with the rest of the group on how the rescue Alex and Peter, when Alex contacted them,

'Christ Alex you scared the crap out of me. Give a guy a warning or something before you just start talking loudly in his head. You know something along the lines of a soft hello,' Greg frowned, massaging his temples.

'Sorry Greg,' Alex apologized, she hadn't realize she had 'spoken' as loud as she did.

'Katie what's wrong?' Jeremiah questioned noting the slight panic in Alex's voice.

'The Triumvirate is here. They somehow found out,' Alex relayed. Several obscenities were both telepathically and verbally spoken.

"What's going on?" Jake asked. He had observed Aaron, Andros and the others close their eyes, and figured that Alex had contacted them. Jake wasn't sure though if he wanted to know just what Alex had to say if the others were reacting the way they were.

"We've been caught. The Triumvirate has taken control of the Centre. We have no idea what's going to happen next. Petey is meeting with the Triumvirate representative now,"Andros informed Jake.

"Shit," Jake muttered. "Listen tell Alex that as soon as she finds out the results of Peter's meeting to let us know. Meanwhile we need to come up with a new plan. We were betting on the fact that we wouldn't have much opposition when we went to break them out. I'm telling you all now, this is going to be bad. And worse of all the moment we reach Carthis the Centre will have seceded in turning us into what they breed us to be. Assassins."

"We're going to have to kill people aren't we?" Lissa whispered, horrified.

"Yes," Jeremiah answered. "But it's either kill or be killed. It's good that it bothers you Lis. It means that you care. It means that the Centre didn't scudded in turning us into the killing machines that they wanted."

"We...we need to tell Dad in the others," Greg spoke softly. "And I think that maybe we should talk to Jeff. See if we can get him to come along we're going to need him."

"Let's get to work," Jake said. With that the Files went to notify their family.

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December 14, 2010

5:27am

Carthis, Scotland

The New Centre

Peter wasn't surprised when the pretender Alex entered the conference room. What surprised the boy was that Minna was standing in as the man's bodyguard.

"You look a great deal like your brother Mr. Lyle," Alex said sitting down across from Peter.

"You should know you spent a great deal of time with him. After all, he was in charge of you. There was no way Lyle was ever going to be given charge of the Centre's top pretender," Peter replied.

"I am second best to no one! Least of all Jarod!" Alex yelled slamming his fist on the oak conference table.

"Why Peter it would appear you struck a nerve with our Chamaeleon," Bane smirked.

"I could kill both of you in a matter of seconds with my bare hands," Alex seethed.

"Forgive me for my rudeness, Alex...If it's not too much trouble is there some other name I could call you? As it is my sister's name is Alex, my niece is her namesake and I already have an Uncle Lex. And now that you have chosen to reenter my family's life again it's rather strange to have to call you Alex as well," Peter said.

"Call me what you wish," The man replied.

"How about Leon... short for Chamaeleon?" Peter offered.

"That's fine," Alex/Leon said and Peter could tell that Leon was somewhat pleased with his new name.

"Excellent we're making progress. Now as I understand the Triumvirate is taking control off the New Centre, as well as my loyal supporters," Peter said casting a glance at Minna. The young woman shuffled her feet nervously. "My group will surrender so long as we are kept together. And so long as none of us are harmed, my sister especially, she was injured and needs her rest if you expect her to resume performing simulations."

"So Jarod finally learned why the Centre wanted him back so badly. His children...they wanted so many more than just the five," Leon told Peter.

"Are Airell and Merlin aware that you are their father?" Peter asked suddenly.

"Such a smart boy. And to answer your question yes. As for your terms I shall take them to Triumvirate member Grey," Leon replied grinning from ear to ear.

"Thank you," Peter said. "Now if you don't mind I'll return to my rooms. I am rather tired it would seem as though I was awaken early this morning due to a takeover." Leon actually laughed.

"Before you return to your room young Parker...your biological father has requested your presence. It would seem as though he has but a few hours left to live," Alex/Leon told Peter. The boy did a slight double take, in truth Peter had not though of his biological father since he had Parker locked away in his rooms.

"Tell my father that I have no desire to see him," Peter replied.

"I understand completely, fathers complicate matters. It's why I killed mine," Leon smiled, Peter fought the urge to gag at the man's cheerfulness over murdering his family. "But my dear Peter," Leon continued, "I should of informed you that you must follow your father's request for it is more of a command."

"That man is not my father," Peter argued. "I have no reason to follow his orders."

"You will follow them Peter or I will not agree to your terms and have your dear sister sent directly to Raines and Cox... I know exactly what those men are capable of, are you?" Leon asked in that moment Peter saw just how frightening Leon was and that the man would not hesitate to kill Peter if given reason. Peter also knew that he had no choice over visiting Parker, not with Alex's life being used as collateral.

"Fine," Peter hissed, teeth clenched. "I will see him."

"Excellent," Leon said happily. "I'll have young Minna here escort you."

"Bane is to come along," Peter spoke leaving no room for argument.

"Of course," Leon nodded standing. "Minna please take these fine gentlemen to Mr. Parker's rooms. They are expected."

"Yes sir," Minna whispered not meeting Leon, Peter or Bane's eyes. Together the group of four left the conference room making their way to the elevators. When the elevators arrived Leon pressed two buttons one for Sl-2 and the other for the lobby. Leon exited when they reached to lobby leaving a rather frightened Minna alone with Bane and Peter.

"I-I'm sorry," Minna stuttered. "But I-"

"Don't," Peter cut her off. "We could have kept you safe and you doubted our abilities and went to the triumvirate making a deal with the devil himself. I have no time to hear any of your excuses. Just know Minna that people will die due to your betrayal."

Minna forced back tears as she lead Peter and Bane down the corridor of SL-2. Upon reaching the door to Parker's rooms Minna typed in the code and allowed Peter and Bane to enter.

"We won't be long Miss Fisher, you can stand outside," Bane told Minna cooly. Minna nodded her head and allowed Peter and Bane to enter the room closing the door behind them.

The room was dim, Parker was hooked up to a series of IVs and machines. It had been a mere three days since Peter had seen him last and then former chairman did not seem too ill. But now there was no doubt that Richard Parker was on his death bed. The man's blue veins stood out upon his waxy gray skin, there were dark circles under his eyes and Parker was a good thirty pounds under weight. Peter knew that the man was only alive because he was running off of spite, it was all Parker had left in the world.

"Hello, Father," Peter greeted. Parker slowly opened his eyes.

"John," He managed to whisper. "No you're Cain, or are you Able or Seth?"

"Neither, my name is Peter Russell," Peter corrected. "Seth is dead remember. As for Kaine, he has been discovered and Able or Benny as he is now known is alive and well, and in the safe hands of my family . Kaine never succeeded in killing him."

"And again that damned pretender wins. Takes my daughter...and now my sons. Psychiatrist took my whore of a wife," Parker rambled.

"My biological mother was no whore, she was a woman who had no way out of her marriage to an abusive husband and was in search of someone who would love her. As for my real father, or as you so eloquently called him 'that damned pretender' he never took your daughter from you. For one my Mom isn't your daughter, two she and my father managed to find their way back to each other after you tore them apart with your lies," Peter said calmly.

"I should have killed you. You're his son now, I thought that you had it in you to be a Parker...I was wrong," Parker hissed.

"In deed you were," Peter replied.

"Or maybe I wasn't. For one month my dear boy you were John Sebastian Parker. Oh the things you did son. I wonder, will your precious family take you back now will all the blood you have on your hands," Parker let out a chuckle that turned into a hacking cough. Small droplets of blood appeared on the former chairman's cheek.

"I may have lost the main battle but in the end I won this war. The boy, Gabriel will die, and maybe so will the girl you call sister. Jaord and Morgan won't get back the son that was taken from them. And when your rescue team is sent the Black Files will finally become the one thing everyone had spent years preventing them to becoming."

"And what's that?" Peter questioned.

"Killers. There's going to be a battle my boy and it's going to be bloody," Parker grinned showing his blood stained teeth.

"Last time I checked old man you weren't psychic," Peter sneered.

"Don't believe me if you are too frightened to face the truth. But mark my words boy, the family you return to will never be the family you once had," Parker told his son. Peter didn't respond, instead he turned away from the dying man, made his way over to the metal door and rapped his knuckles upon it. Minna opened the door and Peter and Bane left Parker to return to their group and brief them on the changes.

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Peter's group had gathered in his rooms and were nervously awaiting word. Derek was pacing along with Inara the two had nearly walked into each other on more than one occasion. Jiro and Akio were grinding their teeth a habit Alex was finding increasingly annoying. Ares, Ajax, Achilles, and Kyra were off in a corner meditating to keep themselves calm. Airell and Merlin were bitting their nails out of worry.

"Derek, Inara sit down! Jiro, Akio if you two don't stop grinding your teeth I'll knock them out. Airi, Lin the only thing I find more annoy than teeth grinding is nail bitting...stop," Alex snapped wearily. Derek and Inara quickly sat down on the couch upon which Peter had been sleeping earlier, while Aiko, Jiro, Airell and Merlin apologized profusely for their bad habits.

"It's alright, were all nervous, but Pete and Midas are going to come through for us," Alex reassured the group. 'I hope,' she added silently.

"I heard that," Airell whispered to Alex.

"Don't read my mind then if you don't want to hear my doubts," Alex whispered back and Merlin snorted.

"Let's all take after Ki, Ace, Ax, and Are's example and sit still for a little while."

"What did you just call us?" Achilles asked quriking a eyebrow at Alex.

"Ace, Ax, and Are. Their my new nicknames for you Ajax and Ares," Alex answered. "By the way it's family tradition that the older siblings get to name their younger siblings. And seeing how the three of your don't have any older siblings to give you your middle names I dub the three of you, Achilles Kyle Russell, Ajax Charles Russell, and Ares Wesley Russell. And in case you three were wondering Kyle Charles Wesley Russell was you father's full name."

"Thank you Alex," The three brother said, too stunned to say anything else.

"Sure thing," Alex shrugged her shoulders happy to have given her cousins a piece of their past and family.

The group then lapsed in to silence. Ten minutes later the silence became over baring and Alex soon began to sing softly to herself.

"In this proud land we grew up strong

we were wanted all along

I was taught to fight, taught to win

never thought that I could fail

no fight left or so it seems

I am a man whose dreams have all deserted

I've changed my face I've changed my name

but no one wants you when you lose"

"Alex don't take this the wrong way or anything...I mean you've got a great voice but your song selection kinda sucks considering our situation," Merlin grinned.

"So I'm a pessimist," Alex replied.

"What do you really thinks gonna happen?" Derek asked. Alex sighed.

"Honestly I have no idea. I mean we don't even know who the triumvirate representative is," Alex said. The group lapsed into silence again as they pondered their fate.

Five minutes later the door opened causing everyone to jump to their feet, save Alex who was constricted due to her numerous injuries. Through her empathy Alex could sense the fear radiating off of her new friends and she found it nearly over whelming. Luckily the fear was replaced with relief when everyone realized that it was Peter and Bane who were entering the room.

The duo was soon bombarded with questions concerning Peter's meeting with the Triumvirate representative. Unable to make out any words clearly Bane whistled loudly causing everyone to promptly cease their questioning.

"Everyone just calm down," Peter ordered, his hands held out in the universal slow down gesture. "Bane and I have every intention of telling you lot about the meeting."

"Was he there?" Airell asked softly, Merlin reached out of his sister's hand, and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Yes he was," Peter confirmed knowing that Airell was referring to Alex/Leon. "He is the Triumvirate's representative. But he doesn't have complete control here."

"Who are you talking about?" Derek questioned not enjoying being left out of the loop.

"The pretender Alex, he refers to himself as The Chamaeleon," Merlin answered.

"I've heard of him, he's completely off his rocker. I heard he killed his whole family once he got out of the Centre," Kyra supplied.

"No, not his whole family...Merlin and I are still here," Airell said. Alex looked over at her old friends, surprise gracing her features.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Alex asked.

"He tried to kill your Mom," Merlin replied. "Not to mention he killed Jake and Rach's Dad."

"So, it wasn't like you and Airi had anything to do with it," Alex snapped hurt that her friends had kept such an important fact for her. "Does Jake even know?"

"Of course he does. I told him myself. We don't know if he told Cassie or any one else though," Airell answered. Alex sighed.

"Is anyone else keeping their paternity hidden out of fear that they will be rejected," Alex asked, sending pointed looks at Airell, Merlin, Ares, Ajax, and Achilles.

Alex had meant it partly as a joke, she truly did. The young Black File did not expect for Kyra to raise her hand. Alex groaned wondering if this was some sort of payback of all the times she and her siblings had kept secrets form their parents.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Alex slowly asked; "And pray tell Kyra, who is your father?"

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Up Next: Kyra's father is revealed.