Epilogue

Oscar joined Jaime and Steve with three mugs of coffee and a large tape player. "I knew you'd want to hear what the Senator and his wife had to say when they thought no one was listening." Without further preamble, he hit 'play'.

"Anita, what the hell?" The Senator sounded bewildered - and furious. "Selling children?"

She didn't deny it. "You've always said operatives should not be parents."

Steve pulled Jaime a little closer and felt her body tremble. They'd had this discussion at length before starting a family; it was still very much a sore point. Was it fair to subject children to this lifestyle? Ultimately, they'd decided that the love they shared and their exceptional ability to protect themselves would override their concerns, but when Jaime and the children were kidnapped, it had all been brought vividly to the surface once again.

"That doesn't mean you can just remove them!" Renshaw thundered. "They're babies - not possessions! They were supposed to be returned safely at the end of their parents' tests - you know that!"

There was dead silence and then the sound of angry, pacing footsteps. "You have to make this right," the Senator said flatly. "Tell them where to find the kids and maybe you can get a lighter sentence."

"Sentence? You mean...prison? I can't go to prison!"

"What did you think they'd do? Give you a commendation?"

"At least I didn't kill anyone!"

"That was an accident," Renshaw said quietly.

"Was it?"

"He didn't crack, and it simply went too far."

"The Austin woman didn't crack either. Were you going to kill her, too?"

"Of course not!" the Senator blustered. "No one was supposed to die. But I needed to know where their loyalties were - if they'd choose their children over their country."

"And it worked so well!" Anita sobbed. "Prison!"

Oscar shut off the tape. "The FBI's missing agent is on his way home - with his daughter."

"That's wonderful," Jaime sighed, leaning closer to Steve. "And...I would've died, too...I guess, if you hadn't found me," she said with a shudder.

"But you didn't," Steve said softly. "We won, Sweetheart." Jaime leaned into his chest and he ran his fingertips across her cheek. "Thank God."

"What about the other children?" Jaime asked wistfully.

Anita has been cooperating; we'll hopefully be able to recover all of the missing children. Of course, some have been gone for two years - the transitions won't be easy, but we'll bring in the best available help and..." Oscar whole persona grew softer, his voice quiet. "How are Jenna and Adam?"

Jaime was just about to answer when...

"Adam...you up? Play with me!" The sound of Jenna happily rattling her brother's crib rail was music to everyone's ears.

'Normal' was not far away, after all.

END