RETURNING HOME

Chapter 4

A New Horizon

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Alex had spent the last three hours preparing for this moment, she showered, tried every outfit she owned on, and styled her hair four times. She grumbled as she took her hair down for one last styling before her date arrived. Meanwhile down in the Kitchen Annie and George were working furiously making sure there were no traces of GC-161 on either of their home computers when the door bell rang and they heard Alex scream from upstairs in frustration.

"I wonder what that's about", George said to himself.

"Oh didn't she tell you", Annie smirked, "Alex has a date."

"Really", George asked slightly surprised, "Did she say with whom?"

"No, but I'm going to find out", she said getting up and heading towards the door.

Annie was wondering who Alex would be going out with since she's only been back in town for about a week, hadn't found an apartment yet, and was trying to get ready for the school year starting up in a few days. Annie opened the door to find Ray dressed in a pair of black slacks and a black button down shirt holding a bouquet of white roses and a very nervous smile.

"I should have known", Annie said with a smirk letting him inside the house.

"You're the one who started the ball rolling and put the idea in our heads", he responded.

"Hey Dad" Annie called into the other room, "Come meet Alex's date."

George walked into the living room and his eyes widened to see Ray standing there well dressed and holding flowers. "Raymond", he said, "I didn't think it would be you."

"If you have a problem with it Mr. Mack I promise you I would never hurt her", he said almost pleading.

"Problem, of course not, I think it's fantastic. You and Alex have been through so much together and I know you'll do right by her", George said approvingly.

Ray was about to thank George but instead dropped his jaw as he saw Alex coming down the stairs wearing an elegant black dress that stopped just above her knee, her hair was done up in a bun which really showed off her facial features, and a black sweater that covered her shoulders and arms.

"Ok Ray you can put your eyes back in your head, I'm not that pretty", she said stifling a laugh.

Annie could tell Ray was absolutely flabbergasted, so she elbowed him in the ribs and motioned to the flowers snapping back to reality.

"You… you look beautiful. I got you these", he stammered out trying desperately trying to keep his composure.

Alex started to glow from everything going on as she took the flowers, "Thanks Ray, I'll go put these in water real quick then we can go."

"Real smooth", Annie whispered into Ray's ear but he was too enamored with Alex to really notice.

A few moments later Alex re-entered the room and took Ray by the arm, "We'll see you later."

"Have a good time", her father said as they were heading out the door

"And don't do anything stupid", Annie tossed in.

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Dr. Thomson sat in his hotel room still jittering, he knew people who failed his boss had habits of becoming test subjects in the director's operative improvement program and yet he still had to call and tell him that George Mack wasn't willing to play ball. He had just about calmed down when his cell phone rang.

"Sir", Thomson said into the phone.

"How did it go?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Not well", Thomson said, "Mack's not going to give up the information without going through proper channels."

"You didn't really expect it to be so easy did you?" the director asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Thomson began to sweat profusely, completely amazed how intimidating the director could be over the phone, "N..No sir of course not, but it's always best to try the cooperation card first."

"Excellent tactical thinking but I did some research and this George Mack seems to be an idealist in the worst sense of the word. I don't think diplomacy is going to help us here", he stated.

"Should be prepare for stage two Director?" Thomson asked nervously.

"No, we need to give him something to lose. We'll move directly to stage 3", said the director, "I'll get a facility set up in Paradise Valley and as soon as we can be sure they won't be missed for a while, bring them in."

"I'll get started right away sir", Thomson said grabbing his laptop.

"And Thomson, don't screw this up. You know what happens to failures", the director said in a warning tone.

"Of course sir, you can count on me", Thomson said just before the line went dead.

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Alex and Ray were enjoying their meal at some fancy Italian restaurant with a name Alex wasn't even about to try and pronounce.

"So why didn't you tell Annie we were going out tonight?" Ray asked politely.

"I guess I just wanted to surprise her", Alex replied.

"Yeah right, you just didn't want her to know she was proven right so quickly", he stated.

Alex smiled as she took a sip of her wine, "Sometimes it's scary how well you know me."

"I have a feeling it will be a good thing in the future." He remarked.

"We'll just have to see", she said with a flirtatious tone in her voice and ran her hand down his arm releasing just enough charge to stimulate the nerves.

"That's not fair", he stammered out, "No screwing with the hormones unless you're willing to take what you dish out."

"Who says I'm not?" she asked with an arched eyebrow and a smirk.

Ray looked at Alex slightly confused, "It's amazing how easily we slid into this from what we were."

"Not really", Alex said earning her a please explain look from Ray, "We were constantly around each other growing up so we never really had the chance to develop, but since I went away for a few years to start my career, well let's just say it's true that absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Ray thought about it, "You're right, when you left I was happy to see you starting your life, but now I just want to take you into my arms and never let go."

Alex began to glow and she thought of the prospect of being in his arms, and she knew he could tell.

"So I'll take it you're not opposed to the idea", he joked as she looked at him in the eye, "You're glowing", He whispered.

"Oh", she said trying to make sure nobody saw her and took his hand, "So you've wined me and dined me, what do you say we head out and find something else to do.

Ray smiled at Alex and raised his hand to grab the waiters' attention, "Check please."

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By ten-fifteen that evening George and Annie finished securing all data and for a safe place to hide Alex GC-161 stained clothes from the accident fifteen years ago.

"So why exactly are we going to such extremes to hide everything?" Annie asked clearly tired.

"The man who came to see me today gave me no explanation why he wanted it or what his intentions were, and if I didn't know better he tried to scare me into giving him what he wants. I'm just being safe in case he decided to try some unscrupulous tactics", he explained to his daughter.

"Well in any case it's done but it's late, I should head home", Annie said yawning at her father.

"Nonsense, Your old bed is still upstairs in your old room. Stay here tonight, we don't need you driving when you're exhausted", he said while pointing up the stairs.

"Somehow I doubt Alex wants to share", she told her father.

"That's why we left the room the way it was, so if you girls needed it was there", he said.

"Fine, I'll see you in the morning", she said walking towards the stairs.

"Goodnight sweetheart", he said heading to bed himself.

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A/N: there you go. As always only the OC's and plot are mine and I love reviews so don't be shy.